Changes for the Future
by catgurl83
Summary: This is the fourth story in the Changes Series. Josh Zoey
1. Chapter One

Author: Catgurl83  
  
Title: Changes for the Future  
  
Disclaimer: Characters that you recognize from the show aren't mine.  
  
Feedback: Is always appreciated.  
  
Pairings: Josh \ Zoey, mentions of Sam \ Donna, CJ \ Toby  
  
Spoilers: To be safe, through season five.  
  
Rating: G  
  
Author's notes: This is the fourth in my Changes Series. It follows Unexpected Changes, Continued Changes, and Changes Abound.  
  
Thanks to Classic She for all of her help with this story!  
  
**************  
  
Amy ran through a mental checklist as she perused the contents of the suitcase. She had done this many, many times in the past few years and had gotten very good at it. There were jeans and shorts, T-shirts and blouses, and a few sweaters for the evening or early morning.  
  
Walking into the attached bathroom, she picked up an already packed small travel bag. She dropped it into the suitcase.  
  
"Are you done, Sweetie?"  
  
"Yep," Serena said cheerfully. She slid the drawer shut and walked over to Amy. "Here."  
  
Amy took the proffered set of pajamas from the little girl. The four-year- old had quite a collection of pajamas. There were long, flowing ones, in Serena's words 'Princessy nightgowns'. There were heavy, footed sleepers for very cold nights, although they had to force Serena to wear them. Then there were her 'silly PJs', sets of pajamas with various characters and objects all over the material. Serena would choose what to wear based on her mood. For the trip, Serena had chosen to take a pair of cotton pajamas with bunny rabbits in assorted outfits all over them. After folding the pajamas into the suitcase, Amy crossed to the drawer and chose Serena's second pair, as she always did.  
  
Amy closed the suitcase and set it on the floor near the door. She turned toward Serena's second suitcase. She had already placed Serena's underclothing, slippers, and a couple of extra pairs of shoes into the case. There was still plenty of room. "Okay, Serena," she told the little girl, who gleefully started to choose what else to take with her.  
  
Serena stood, her hands on her non-existent hips, studying room. She had always loved this part of packing. Amy would pack clothing and toiletry items for her, then let her fill the rest of the space.  
  
Crossing the room, she picked Heidie up from the bookcase. They had begun reading Heidie just a few days before; she already loved the story, almost as much as her favorite book, Black Beauty. Zoey said that as a little girl, Heidie had been her favorite book and that she had liked the movie too. Zoey promised that as soon as Serena was done with the book, they'd watch the movie together.  
  
Next, Serena crossed to her bed, which held her favorite stuffed toys. She picked up a praying angel that her Uncle Josh had gotten her. She always slept with the cloth doll and couldn't sleep without it.  
  
As Serena was packing a small travel case with a Barbie, a Ken, and clothes and shoes for them, the door opened.  
  
"How's it going?"  
  
"We're almost through," Amy assured Josh. "Serena's just finishing up."  
  
Serena snapped the small pink plastic box with a picture of Barbie on the front closed and carried it over to Amy who laid it in the suitcase. She smiled at Josh. "I'm finished."  
  
"Good. Have you chosen your pajamas for tonight?"  
  
Serena shook her head.  
  
"It's almost time for bed, go choose them."  
  
Serena nodded before crossing the room.  
  
Amy glanced down at her watch.  
  
"You can go if you'd like. I can get Serena down and we'll be leaving very early in the morning." Josh offered with a smile for the nanny. He was so grateful for her help in the last two years, well, almost two years. He didn't know if he could have done it without her.  
  
"Thanks," Amy said. She was driving to her parent's place in Maryland that night. They'd be flying to California the next day to spend two weeks in San Diego where her older sister was getting married. "You'll be gone for a week right?"  
  
"Yep. We get back the week before you do." He smiled again. "Have fun."  
  
Amy returned the smile. "I plan to." She crossed the room. "Serena?"  
  
Serena looked up, a pajama shirt in one hand and a nightgown in the other. "Yes?"  
  
Amy knelt down next to the preschooler. "I'm about to go."  
  
"Oh," Serena said softly. She'd never been apart from Amy for more than a few days at a time since Amy started taking care of her. She couldn't remember a time when Amy hadn't been with her.  
  
Amy took in the little girl's trembling lip. She had expected this but had hoped it wouldn't happen. They had been preparing Serena for this for several weeks. "It's only for a couple of weeks," she assured the little girl.  
  
Serena nodded solemnly. "You'll be back?"  
  
"Yep. And you know what? If you really need to talk to me, Uncle Josh has a phone number to reach me. He'll help you call. Okay?"  
  
After a few moments consideration, Serena nodded again. She gave Amy a small smile. "I'll miss you."  
  
Amy hugged the child to her. "I'll miss you too." She kissed Serena's forehead and stood. "Bye Sweetie."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Amy gave Josh a small wave before exiting the room.  
  
************  
  
"I don't like this."  
  
"I'm not exactly ecstatic about it myself but there isn't anything that we can do."  
  
Jed glowered at his wife. "We can forbid her from going."  
  
Abbey rolled her eyes as he spoke. "Oh yeah. That is exactly what you should do. Go in there and order her to stay. See what she does then."  
  
Jed sighed knowing that she was right. Ordering Zoey not to go on the trip wouldn't stop her; it would make her more determined to go.  
  
"You're the one who encouraged them to date," Abbey reminded him softly.  
  
"I didn't encourage them, I just didn't try to stop them," he corrected her, now wishing that he had put up some sort of fight. That he had put a stop to the relationship before it began. The problem was, the relationship had begun before he had realized what was happening, before even Josh and Zoey realized what was happening. By the time that Josh had approached him, asking if he could date Zoey, it had been too late to really stop it.  
  
He had hoped that the relationship would fizzle out on its own. That Josh and Zoey would discover that their differences were just too much to sustain a relationship. Their whole lives had been so different. They had totally different upbringings, although they had both been raised in New England in families with roughly the same socio-economic status, however, there the similarities ended. Josh was raised Jewish; Zoey Catholic. Zoey's childhood was innocent, untouched by tragedy. Josh had had to deal with the devastating loss of his older sister at too young of an age, with the accompanying survivors guilt, with his mother's depression. On top of all of that, they were from two different generations, children of the baby boomer and generation X. They were raised in entirely different eras.  
  
Even now, there were so many differences. Josh already had an established career; Zoey had just graduated from college. Josh had a crushing schedule; Zoey wasn't even working. Josh had the responsibility for a young child; Zoey was little more than a child herself and should be carefree at this stage of her life.  
  
All of these things were supposed to work together to eventually break them up, to keep them from getting serious. That hadn't happened. Instead, Jed had had to watch his youngest child fall farther and farther in love with Josh. Had to watch them become a family.  
  
It wasn't that he didn't like Josh; he did. Josh was an excellent politician with an amazing political mind. He was loyal and trustworthy, passionate about everything important to him. He was a good man, a great father. Jed had a great amount of respect for Josh, that respect had grown when Josh took custody of Serena. But, try as he might, he didn't like Josh with Zoey.  
  
There was still a chance that the two would break up, that it wouldn't get any more serious than it already had. He tried to believe this, yet deep in his heart, he doubted that that would happen. He'd watched Josh and Zoey together. Listened to them talk about each other. Seen Zoey's eyes light up when Josh was mentioned or stepped into a room. It was the real thing what Josh and Zoey had going on between them.  
  
"At least Serena will be with them," Abbey stated. "And they'll be staying with Kate and Jonathon Moss."  
  
Jed said nothing. He didn't feel that Serena was an adequate chaperone and he knew that Abbey really didn't think that either. Nor was he naïve enough to believe that the couple really needed a chaperone, he knew that Zoey had spent several nights at Josh's.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Jed's head snapped up. "Zoey." His daughter stood in the doorway wearing a pair of loose fitting jogging pants and an oversized sweatshirt. Her hair was pulled back in a braid. He thought she looked so young, much too young to have fallen in love.  
  
"I'm all done packing." She gave them each a smile. "I'm about to turn in but I wanted to say goodnight since I'll be leaving so early in the morning. You probably won't see me in the morning."  
  
Zoey stepped forward and pressed a kiss to her father's cheek. "Love you." She hugged her mother and then wordlessly left the room.  
  
*************  
  
As the plane took off, Zoey studied Serena. The little girl wore one of her favorite jumpsuits. Her angel necklace rested against the material on the top. Serena's hair hung loose with a small barrette keeping it from falling into her blue eyes.  
  
The little girl was quietly coloring in a Barbie coloring book that Amy had packed in her carry-on. She had pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and was diligently coloring in Barbie's tiny shoe.  
  
The preschooler had been quiet the whole morning. Too quiet. Zoey had arrived at the house as Serena was finishing her breakfast and the little girl had hugged her and said hi but that was it. Usually, Serena was bubbly and talkative. Serena had been silent on the trip to the airport and had barely spoken as they waited to board the plane.  
  
Zoey had flown with Serena before on numerous occasions. The little girl would sit as close to the window as she could and stare out it, transfixed as they took off. As they got higher and higher, she'd point out that everything was getting smaller, that the ground below them looked like a giant board game, broken up into huge green, brown, and black shapes. She should be chattering a mile a minute but she wasn't.  
  
Josh had opened his laptop the minute that they had taken off. His fingers were flying across the keyboard.  
  
"What are you working on?"  
  
He looked up. "Hmm?"  
  
"What are you typing?"  
  
"Oh." He turned the laptop so that she could see the screen. "I'm finishing an e-mail to my mother. She e-mailed me a couple of days ago and I never responded."  
  
She lowered her voice. "How was Serena doing last night?"  
  
Josh's eyes widened in surprise, then moved quickly toward his little girl. Serena was sitting quietly, her eyes glued to the picture that she was coloring but her hand had stilled, a red crayon clutched between her fingers.  
  
"She seemed okay yesterday," he answered, still watching Serena. "She spent all day telling me how fun the trip was going to be, telling me everything that she wanted to do while we were gone. She was so excited."  
  
"What about this morning?"  
  
Josh turned back toward his girlfriend. "She really didn't want to get up this morning but I attributed that to the fact that it was four in the morning and Amy doesn't usually get her up until about seven-thirty. But after she was up, she seemed okay. She didn't fuss or complain."  
  
"She's so quiet," Zoey observed as she too watched the little girl.  
  
The seat belt light had gone off so Josh unbuckled his seat belt and stood. As he knelt down next to Serena, he noticed that the little girl had barely colored the picture at all. Barbie's shoes were red and her hair blond but that was it.  
  
"Angel?"  
  
At his voice, Serena's head snapped up. He was kneeling down next to her, watching her.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Serena nodded slowly and Josh wasn't convinced.  
  
"Are you tired?" he pressed.  
  
"A little," she admitted.  
  
Josh brushed his hand across her forehead and frowned. His eyes filling with concern, he turned to Zoey. "She's warm."  
  
Zoey leaned over and dropped a kiss to Serena's forehead. "She has a slight fever," she agreed.  
  
"Does anything hurt?" he asked, his attention back on Serena.  
  
Serena shook her head. "Just tired," she said around a yawn.  
  
Josh unbuckled Serena's belt and lifted her, carrying her back to his seat. He sat back down and settled her on his lap with her head on his shoulder. If the flight attendants didn't like it, too bad.  
  
Zoey smiled as Serena settled her head on Josh's shoulder and immediately went limp, her breathing already deep and slow. She reached out and ran her hand down Serena's long, very light brown locks. She remembered a time when Serena had had no hair at all. Now the child's hair reached the middle of her back.  
  
Josh felt the little girl in his arms succumb to sleep, a frown creasing his face. How could she be so exhausted? She had been in bed by eight the night before. She had fallen asleep almost immediately, as always. Yet, at eight o'clock this morning she was so tired.  
  
On top of the exhaustion, the fever worried him. She was barely warm so he knew that it wasn't a high fever and he was probably being overly concerned but it really worried him. Fortunately, during the time that he had had custody of the little girl, she had been sick very infrequently. She had had a few colds and the flu once but that was it, besides the injuries from the car accident, of course.  
  
When Sam had first gotten her, she had been very sick and Josh had spent quite a bit of time with her. He hated it when she was sick, when she was in pain.  
  
God, how he hoped that this was just a minor cold coming on strong.  
  
Zoey watched Josh's face furrow in concern and knew what he was thinking about. She reached out for his free hand and gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. Kid's got the sniffles, they got colds. That was all that this was, she told him with her touch.  
  
As Josh felt Zoey's hand on his own, he turned briefly and met her eyes. A small smile played at his lips as he silently thanked her for being so supportive.  
  
************  
  
Kate Moss gingerly took a seat in an uncomfortable chair in the airport waiting room. Her husband moved a folded newspaper out of the seat next to hers and sat down. Glancing down at the paper, he realized that it was from the day before and tossed it onto a seat nearby.  
  
She and Jonathon hadn't really had much of a chance to get to know Serena. When their daughter married Sam and adopted his daughter, Serena already was two years old. Living in Wisconsin, they hadn't met Serena until the wedding. In fact, they had only met Sam once before, when President Bartlett made a whirlwind stop in Wisconsin during the first campaign.  
  
They had arrived just two days before the wedding and hadn't had much of a chance to get to know Serena, as the toddler had just been released from the hospital and was clingy toward her father. Zoey Bartlett had held her during the ceremony, as she used to Zoey. At the reception, Serena had been fussy, only interacting with the First Family and the Senior Staff while ignoring everyone else. Kate and Jonathon had left the next day. They had spoken to Serena over the phone several times in the months after the wedding but hadn't been able to make it to DC again.  
  
About a year and a half after the wedding, Kate's sleep had been disturbed in the middle of the night by the ringing of the phone. Groggily she had answered the phone to a slightly familiar voice that she couldn't quite place. The woman had sounded like she might have been crying, Kate had been instantly on alert. She had flipped a light on as the woman identified herself as CJ Cregg, the White House Press Secretary. Her blood had chilled at the introduction, she had known that the Press Secretary would not be calling her in the middle of the night for any reason that she would actually want to hear. CJ had swallowed hard before telling her that there had been an accident. Just from the weariness in the woman's voice, Kate had known that it was bad.  
  
She and Jonathon had been on a flight to DC within hours. They had arrived shortly before dawn, were taken to the hospital in a car that had been sent for them, only to find reporters congregated outside the hospital entrance. Somehow the reporters had known who they were and had called out questions to them, questions they hadn't had answers for.  
  
Inside the hospital, they had found the White House Senior Staff, as well as a couple of people from their son-in-law's congressional office, congregated in a small waiting room. Everyone had looked so grave, avoiding their questioning eyes as they entered the room. Josh Lyman, Donna's boss, had taken them aside and explained it was serious and that Donna was still in surgery.  
  
Somehow, she and several of the others had managed to fall into a fitful sleep. As she had requested, Josh woke her when the Doctor's came to relate the news that Sam was going to be taken off from life support. From the waiting room door, she had seen President Bartlett and his wife wheel Serena into her father's room. When they emerged from the room less than five minutes later, Serena's body was shaking with sobs that echoed through the nearly empty halls.  
  
It had been the next day when she had the opportunity to see the devastated little girl. She had offered to sit with the Serena while the others were discussing Sam's funeral. When she had stepped into the room, Serena had looked up at her through hollow, red-rimmed eyes. Even in the dark room, Kate had been able to see how pale the little girl was, her arm in a sling.  
  
She had taken the seat next to the little girl and given her a weak smile. Serena had blinked back a tear but hadn't been able to return the smile. Kate had sat with the child for over a half-hour before CJ Cregg relieved her and during that time, Serena didn't say a word.  
  
At the funeral, Serena clung to Josh, her head buried in his neck for the majority of the service. She had stayed away, knowing that Josh could comfort Serena better than she or anyone else could have.  
  
She and Jonathon had stayed in DC for a while after the accident, hoping for a miracle with their daughter. They basically lived at the hospital, hadn't spent much time with Serena. Finally, they had decided that they had to take Donna off of life support. At the hospital, before they all took turns staying goodbye to Donna, Kate held back her tears and tried her hardest to be strong, to hope for a miracle that she knew would not happen. A confused Serena didn't understand what was happening when Josh took her to see Donna before they removed the support system.  
  
The last time that she had been in DC, she took the little girl's mother away, back home to Wisconsin. The child had been hurt and angry. The last time that she had seen Serena, the morose little girl had stared at her dejectedly from Josh's arms. Josh had barely been able to coax a tiny 'bye' out of the child.  
  
Since then, she had spoken to Serena on the phone several times. The little girl had warmed up to her a bit more each time they had talked, but she still worried that there might be problems between them. Every time they saw each other, something bad seemed to happen to the child. That was the type of thing that small children noticed subconsciously.  
  
She just hoped that she'd be able to change things with this visit. That she'd be able to find common ground with Serena, bond with the child.  
  
She had always dreamed of having grandchildren. One of her son's had given her a grandson, but Serena was her only granddaughter. Her only chance of a grandchild from her only daughter. She desperately wanted to know Serena, to be close to Serena.  
  
Yes, Serena was adopted, but Donna hadn't looked at her that way. The day before her wedding to Sam, Donna had confided that she already loved Serena so much, that she didn't think that it would be possible to love her more even if she was her biological child.  
  
"Kate."  
  
At the sound of her husband's voice, Kate broke her reverie, blinked rapidly and looked up.  
  
Jonathon stood and Kate followed his gaze before standing herself.  
  
Josh was walking toward them, wearing a pair of slacks and a shirt that Kate couldn't see as his arms were wrapped around a limp Serena, her head nestled in his shoulder. Zoey Bartlett walked alongside Josh, her agents forming a phalanx around them.  
  
Kate forced back her initial reaction to seeing Zoey. Yes, she had known that they were a couple. She had known that for quite a while. She had seen much of the media coverage right after Josh and Zoey's relationship had been announced. She had to admit that she had been shocked when she'd first heard. She had to admit that she hadn't initially approved of the relationship. Actually, her first reaction had been to wonder if the rumors about Josh's womanizing ways were true. She had thought so for most of the time when Donna was working for him, based on the stories Donna had related in her phone calls home. During the weeks and months after Sam's death, she was around Josh quite a bit. She saw a different side of him, a caring side. Her opinion slowly changed, as she saw him care for Serena, as he ensured that she and Jonathan remained a part of Serena's life through emails, phone calls, videotapes and pictures. And the photos and videotapes showed that Zoey was an intrinsic part of Serena's life.  
  
And Josh had told her that he was bringing Zoey along.  
  
As they approached the older couple, Zoey smiled. She had met Kate and Jonathon before, but hadn't gotten a chance to really get to know them. They had seemed nice though.  
  
As the younger woman smiled at her, Kate gave an answering smile of her own. Zoey did seem like a genuinely nice person.  
  
Once they were close enough, Kate's eyes drifted to Serena. Her head lay on Josh's shoulder with her face facing his. Her eyes were closed, her long, dark lashes contrasting with her pale face. Her very pale face.  
  
Kate raised concerned eyes up to meet Josh's. "Is she alright?"  
  
"She'll be fine. She's just tired."  
  
Kate glanced at Serena's face once more before nodding. Josh knew the child far better than she did.  
  
Jonathon gave them both smiles in greeting. "Let's get your bags." As he led them toward luggage claim, he glanced at each of them. "We had planned on stopping for lunch on the way home." He glanced uncertainly at Zoey's agents. "That is, if your agents would have allowed it. But since Serena's asleep..."  
  
Zoey gave him a smile. "Yes, it's probably better that we just go straight to the house."  
  
************  
  
"Should we change her into pajamas?" Josh asked as he gently laid a still sleeping Serena on the bed in one of Kate and Jonathon's guestrooms.  
  
Zoey studied the little girl. The four-year-old wore a loose, floral printed, yellow jumpsuit. "I think that this is loose enough, it won't restrict her breathing. If we try to change her, we might disturb her sleep."  
  
Josh glanced at Serena doubtfully. He really didn't think that much would disturb the little girl. She had slept throughout their flight, hadn't showed any reaction to the noise or movement as they walked through the busy airport, and had slept through the ride to the house and being carried upstairs. "How about her shoes?"  
  
Zoey nodded as she gingerly sat on the edge of the bed. She unlaced each of Serena's tennis shoes and carefully slipped them from the child's feet. The little girl was wearing yellow socks with lace at the ankles. Zoey left the socks on and stood.  
  
She wouldn't tell Josh but this was really starting to worry her. This didn't seem like Serena. She knew that Serena took a nap every day but she also knew that it wasn't until late afternoon and then only for an hour or so.  
  
As they stood there, both studying the sleeping child on the bed, Josh reached out and wrapped his arm around Zoey's waist, gently pulling her closer to him. He glanced down at her face. She was watching Serena intently, a mixture of emotions crossing her face. She looked worried, scared, and sad at the same time. What was she thinking about? He wondered.  
  
Almost three years before, Zoey had been at Serena's second birthday party. After Serena blew out the candles on her cake and opened all of her gifts, everyone went back to talking but she decided to play with the little girl. Of course, she had known that Serena was a very sick child but, that evening, Serena didn't look sick, didn't act sick. Serena was playful and cheerful, just like Annie had been at that age. The little girl had instantly loved her dollhouse and hadn't wanted to play with anything else. One moment they were carefully placing the tiny furniture in just the right spots and the next Serena was lying on the ground as a scream tore its way up Zoey's throat.  
  
That had been one of the scariest moments of her life. Actually, she could only think of two times when she had been more frightened; the day that she found out her daddy had MS and Rosslyn.  
  
All that she could think of while watching Sam cradle his daughter in his arms, her mother checking Serena's vital signs, hearing her father call for an ambulance, was that somehow she should have stopped it. Somehow, she should have known that it was going to happen, that there had to have been a sign. She was closest in proximity to Serena, she should have noticed that something was wrong.  
  
At the hospital, when she went to Serena's room for the little girl's christening, her eyes were riveted to the child. Serena lay in her hospital bed, so pale that she blended in with the starched white sheets and deathly still. Serena's lack of hair had made the gauntness of her face stand out. Zoey had seen her so many times before but, for some reason, Serena's sickly appearance never sank in until she was lying in the bed like that.  
  
She had seen Serena like that so many times in the weeks that followed that night. After the bone marrow transplant, Serena started to slowly get better. Her hair grew back, thin, wispy, and baby soft like an infant's. Her face lost its gauntness as she gained weight. Color returned to her face.  
  
During the weeks that Serena was in the hospital, she and Donna had become closer. She had always considered the older woman to be a friend but they had never really had much of a chance to spend much time together away from the group. While Serena was recuperating, they really had a chance to talk, to confide in each other.  
  
Zoey had prayed that Serena would never get sick, seriously sick, again. Especially after Josh was granted custody. After Sam died and Donna went into a coma, Josh threw himself into caring for their daughter. He couldn't bear the thought that he might do something wrong. The child became his life, she was all that kept him going for weeks, months. Zoey had known then that if Serena had gotten sick again, Josh wouldn't be able to take it, wouldn't be able to handle losing her too.  
  
However, she didn't think that Josh was as emotionally delicate now. He had moved on - past the accident, Sam's death, Donna's coma. She was pretty sure that if Serena became seriously ill now, Josh would be able to handle it, with her help, her love, her support. But she hoped that this was just a cold.  
  
In all probability, it was a cold or the flu. She was being paranoid, even thinking like this, but when a small child who had had cancer got sick, you had to wonder. You had to be more cautious than other parents.  
  
From the partially open door, Kate observed the three people in the room. Serena lay on the bed, still fast asleep. Josh and Zoey stood next to the bed staring down at the little girl with their arms wrapped around each other. She doubted that the two could possibly be standing any closer together.  
  
Earlier, Josh had told her that Serena was just tired, nothing was wrong, but watching Josh and Zoey, she had to wonder if either of them really thought that. As they watched Serena, concerned expressions flitted over their faces. Both of them seemed quite worried about the little girl.  
  
She stepped farther into the room, "Knock, knock."  
  
Zoey turned from Serena toward the door. Kate had pushed the door open farther and had stepped into the room.  
  
"I thought that you might like a light blanket to put over Serena," Kate said with a smile.  
  
"Thank you." Josh accepted the soft rainbow colored afghan. He approached the bed and gently spread the cover over Serena.  
  
"That's very pretty. Did you crochet it?" Zoey asked as she studied the afghan.  
  
Kate laughed, "Oh no. My crocheting doesn't look half that good. Everything that I make ends up disproportionate in size. My grandmother made that when my children were little."  
  
Kate smiled. "If you're hungry, I made some sandwiches and a platter of fruit and veggies."  
  
"Thank you, Kate." Josh told her.  
  
**********  
  
As she was stacking the lunch dishes to carry them to the sink, Kate glanced at her guests. "Now that we've eaten, would you like for me to show you our house?"  
  
"Sure," Josh said, more than a little of his curiosity betrayed by his voice. When they had come to Wisconsin years before, during the campaign, Kate and Jonathon Moss had come to a rally where Josh had met them for the first time. He had never been here before. He was interested in seeing the home that Donna had grown up in.  
  
Zoey glanced around the large, comfortable, farm-style kitchen. She immediately loved this room and knew that her father would to. She hated small, immaculate, new age looking kitchens that didn't look like you should actually use them to cook. She loved the space and freedom to have fun with cooking and baking.  
  
Off from the kitchen was a glassed-in breakfast room, they had just eaten their lunch there. The room had three walls made of glass. It overlooked a beautiful garden that Kate confessed was her baby.  
  
Kate led them into the living room. They passed by it on their way into the house but didn't actually stop in. As they entered the room, their eyes were drawn to the huge, marble fireplace, which was by far the most dominating feature of the room.  
  
The mantel above the fireplace held a row of pictures. The first was an old family portrait with Jonathon and Kate holding their three small children on their laps. The second picture showed the three kids standing together, Donna was perhaps ten or eleven, her older brothers probably in their early teens. In the third picture, Donna's brother Michael, who was probably five, held an infant Donna on his lap, their father's hands could be seen steadying the baby head. A picture of Tony, his grin disclosing his braces followed. The last picture was of all three of the Moss kids standing together at Tony's wedding, when Donna was seventeen.  
  
The top of the piano held even more pictures. There were a few pictures of the Moss's grandson. A picture of Donna and Sam at the wedding, Serena in her father's arms. There was a picture of Serena that Josh knew Donna had taken on the child's third birthday; he had a copy of this picture on his desk at work.  
  
As Josh glanced at a wall that was almost completely covered in pictures, he knew where Donna had acquired her love of pictures.  
  
The den had a full wall of built in shelves, filled with books. Some of the books looked old, others looked relatively new. Some were paperbacks, Zoey even noticed a few romance novels, but most were hardcover. They were organized by type. Cookbooks had their own shelf. There was a shelf for books about gardening. A few shelves were filled with the classics. There was a full shelf of biographies; Josh noticed several presidential biographies that he had read. The entire bottom row of shelves was dedicated to children's books for all ages of children.  
  
The room had several comfortable chairs that you could relax in to read. There was even a miniature rocking chair that must be for Tony's six-year- old son.  
  
The hardwood floor was softened with scattered throw rugs.  
  
"This was Donna's favorite room when she was little," Kate said as she led them down the basement steps. "She absolutely adored skating." She laughed, "She practically wanted to move into the skating rink so Jonathon turned the laundry into a separate room down here."  
  
As he reached the bottom of the stairs, Josh glanced around, a surprised expression on his face.  
  
"We made the rest of the basement into a skating rink," Kate finished unnecessarily.  
  
Almost the entire area was a skating rink. Directly under the stairs was a seating area that had several folding chairs set up in it. There was a rail separating the area from the rink. Behind the chairs was a long shelf. Several pairs of skates and roller blades lay on the shelf.  
  
"As the kids got older and skates went 'out' they began to blade down here instead. I don't know how many parties we hosted down here over the years," she laughed again as she reminisced.  
  
"This is so cool," Zoey said enthusiastically as she examined the skates, trying to judge their sizes.  
  
"You could both get in some roller blading while you're here," Kate offered. "Maybe teach Serena how to roller blade?"  
  
"Roller blade?" Josh repeated, paling.  
  
Zoey laughed as she picked up a pair, eyeing his feet. "Come on Josh. It is fun."  
  
"More like dangerous," Josh muttered.  
  
"I've been blading since I was a little girl." Zoey met his eyes. "Please?" she said softly.  
  
Josh sighed, he couldn't refuse her puppy eyes. "I'll try it. Once, Zo."  
  
She gave him a bright smile and a quick hug. She knew that once he tried roller blading, he'd like it. And Serena would love it. Kate watched their interplay with interest, perhaps she had misjudged their relationship.  
  
Back upstairs, they stopped in to check on Serena first. After ensuring the child was okay, Josh glanced around, really noticing the room for the first time. The motif of this room seemed to be roses.  
  
The room was painted a very pale pink. Across one of the walls, someone had painted a trellis with climbing roses. From a far, the roses actually looked realistic.  
  
The bedspread was just a shade darker than the walls as were the curtains at the windows. Sunlight filtered in, brightening the room.  
  
Fluffy throw rugs were scattered across the floor.  
  
The pristine white dresser actually had a replica of one of the basins that they used to use for washing up. It was white with pink roses painted onto it.  
  
Kate led them into the bedroom next to that one. "This was the boys' room. They actually chose to share for most of their childhood'."  
  
This room was decorated in red and black. The furniture was very modern looking.  
  
Josh suspected that at one point the room held bunkbeds or twin beds but those had been removed in favor of one bed. The bed frame was made of black metal. The bedding was red.  
  
A tall corner desk stood in the corner of the room. It too was made of black metal. It was empty except for a red electric pencil sharpener and a penholder filled with pens and pencils. Next to the desk was a red wastepaper basket made of plastic.  
  
The walls were jet black. He glanced up and noticed the ceiling. The solar system had been painted onto the ceiling in glow-in-the-dark paint.  
  
Red rugs were strewn across the floor and red curtains hung at the window.  
  
Josh couldn't figure out how anyone had actually been able to live in this room for years. There was just too much red and black. It wasn't understated at all. But it was something that he could see teenagers liking, especially if their parents didn't. He just hoped that he didn't get a headache, staying in this room.  
  
Kate led them across the hall to a room with a closed door. "This was Donna's room."  
  
Zoey followed Kate and Josh across the hall wondering what Donna's room would be like. This whole house had surprised her thus far. She hadn't expected it to have so much character.  
  
"We did this when she was fourteen. Previously, her room was done in bright colors. It rivaled her brothers at shock value. But as a teen she decided that she wanted something quieter to hang in with her friends."  
  
This was certainly quiet, Zoey thought as she looked around. Compared to the rest of the house, this room was boring. But it was pretty.  
  
The walls were plain, stark white. The sliding closet doors were mirrored. Soft blue curtains hung at the windows.  
  
The bed was white wicker, the bedding matched the curtains.  
  
A tall CD tower stood next to an entertainment center. Every slot on the tower was full. Josh was surprised that she had left all of these CDs here. He would have expected her to take most or all of them with her.  
  
The guest bathroom was almost completely blue. It was like stepping into the ocean. The walls were painted a very, deep, dark blue.  
  
Thick, soft rugs nearly covered the tile floor. Even through her shoes, her feet were sinking into the rugs.  
  
The shower had a glass door but a shower curtain covered it anyway. The curtain was done in a lighter blue than the walls and rugs.  
  
The wastebasket was deep blue and had fish printed on it.  
  
A glass hand soap dispenser sat next to the sink. It was shaped like a dolphin. A swan shaped crystal soap dish was next to it. The soap dish held several small decorative soaps in various ocean life shapes. There was a light, metallically green seahorse, a mermaid, a bright red crab, and a jellyfish.  
  
The various shades of blue lent an authentic feel to the bathroom, made it seem multidimensional like the ocean.  
  
"I love it," Zoey said once they had finished.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"All of the painting is beautiful and very real looking. Did you paint it?"  
  
Kate shook her head. "Jonathon did all of the painting with Donna and Tony's help. I'm not very artistic, well not with paintings. Most of my creativity goes into my garden."  
  
"Uncle Josh?"  
  
All three of the adults turned at the sound of a quiet, scared voice coming from down the hall.  
  
"I'm right here, Angel," Josh assured her when he crouched down next to her.  
  
Serena looked around the hallway. Pictures covered the wall and plants were interspersed on small stands. "Is this Grandma Kate and Grandpa Jonathon's house?"  
  
"It is," Kate confirmed as she and Zoey joined Josh and Serena.  
  
Serena gave her grandmother a shy smile but stayed in Josh's arms.  
  
"Are you feeling better?" Zoey asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I bet you're hungry," Kate said with a smile.  
  
Serena nodded.  
  
"Hmmm. How about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"  
  
"Strawberry jelly?" Serena asked hopefully as she took a step away from Josh, towards her Grandmother.  
  
Kate faked shock at the question. "Is there any other kind?"  
  
Serena giggled as she took Kate's hand.  
  
************  
  
"Wow," Serena said in awe as she turned in every direction, drinking the garden in.  
  
They all stood on the back patio that evening. The patio itself was beautiful but the garden beyond was breathtaking.  
  
The large patio was made for entertaining. Directly across from the door into the kitchen was a huge stone barbecue. Actually, it was more than a barbecue; it was more like an outdoor kitchen. The area was shielded on three sides by the walls of the house and had a canopy covering. The side not protected by a wall had a virtual forest of plant life surrounding it.  
  
Lannon stone steps led down to the second layer of the yard, which was nearly blanketed in scattered flowers. It looked random, but Zoey knew that it wasn't. This look was actually very difficult to achieve and time consuming to maintain.  
  
More steps led to the third layer. This layer was wide enough for someone to stand on, to garden on, but that was about it. The next layer was just a little larger.  
  
The fifth and last layer was quite far from the patio and thus the whole level could not be seen from where they stood. The fence had been constructed on this level. The fence had climbing roses covering it.  
  
Seeing the direction that Zoey's eyes had taken, Kate smiled and asked, "Shall we take a walk down there?"  
  
"Yep," Serena answered enthusiastically and she skipped ahead of the four adults.  
  
As they followed Serena, Josh and Zoey exchanged a relieved look. She had regained her exuberance and seemed to be back to her old self.  
  
Once they had reached the bottom, Kate pulled the gate open and allowed them to precede her inside.  
  
"Whoa," Serena muttered.  
  
"It's glorious," Zoey complimented.  
  
Jonathon grinned. "We had this done when the kids were little. We never had much problem with the boys, but Donnatella. She was mischievous. We needed a contained area for her out here."  
  
This playground was probably a little kid's dream, Josh thought as he looked around. It had everything.  
  
There was a carousel with animals of every type. Each of the creatures had been carved from wood and was very detailed. The paint had begun to chip but it still looked safe.  
  
To the side was a trampoline. Even though it had a safety net there was still several inches of wood chips underneath it.  
  
The swing set had everything that a kid could want on it. It too had wood chips surrounding it for safety reasons.  
  
The sandbox had a protective covering over it to keep small creatures out of it. Next to it was a bucket of sand toys.  
  
The slide was made of heavy duty plastic so that children wouldn't be burnt in the summertime.  
  
There was even a small cement area set aside with various children's bikes and cars. A bucket held jump ropes and balls.  
  
A small shed stood to the side so that the toys could be easily stored if rain was expected.  
  
The whole yard was shaded by tall over-hanging trees. The back fence was lined with shrubs to keep the yard private from the neighbors.  
  
"This is cool!"  
  
"I kind of thought that you'd think that," Kate told Serena. "Would you like to play while we go up to the patio? We'll call you when dinner is ready."  
  
"Sure!"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"She'll be fine, Josh," Jonathon assured him. "We'll be right up there, she can call us if she needs us."  
  
Josh studied the yard one more time before reluctantly nodding. He couldn't watch her twenty four-seven. He needed to start allowing her more freedom. Everyone said so, including Leo and the President. Well, he could start now, slowly though.  
  
"I'll start the hamburgers," Jonathon said once they were back on the patio.  
  
"I'll help," Josh offered.  
  
Zoey laughed. "You just want to make sure that yours is burnt."  
  
Jonathon wrinkled his nose but said nothing. People had different tastes, he guessed, though he'd never thought that he'd meet someone who liked burnt food.  
  
As the guys barbecued, Zoey helped Kate by chopping the vegetables up for a salad.  
  
As they worked silently, side by side, Kate glanced over at Zoey's agents who stood unobtrusively to the side. The agents just stood there, silently watching their charge. Kate had to wonder how Zoey could handle it, having people watching her all of the time, having to basically get permission before she went anywhere. She didn't think that she would be able to handle it as well as Zoey seemed to.  
  
"How's Donna doing?" Zoey asked as she sliced a tomato.  
  
Kate glanced down at the diced fruit. She really hadn't expected Zoey Bartlett to be able to do such a thing. She wouldn't have expected Zoey to even try but Zoey had insisted. She had thought the younger woman polite but distant on the previous occasions when they had met but she had never seen her in this kind of setting. She had expected Zoey to be pampered, spoiled. She was pleasantly surprised so far.  
  
"We stopped by to see her this morning on our way to the airport. They were in the middle of physical therapy."  
  
Zoey's eyes widened. "Physical therapy. Did she...? I mean..."  
  
"The therapist does all of the work. It is basically to move her muscles so that they don't atrophy or clot from lack of use. They do it every day."  
  
"So there still isn't any change?"  
  
"No," Kate answered sadly. "The longer that goes by..."  
  
"Yeah," Zoey agreed softly.  
  
"Has Serena mentioned her mother?" Kate asked curiously.  
  
"Last week she drew a picture that she said she was going to bring Donna. I haven't heard her mention Donna since then. I think that she'll want to see her while we're here though." She put the diced tomato into a bowl. She briefly considered whether to discuss Josh's feelings on the matter, then decided it best that she tell Kate, in case the older woman had an adverse reaction. "Basically, Josh's philosophy is to not mention Donna to Serena. If Serena asks a question, he answers as truthfully as possible, including health questions, but he doesn't force the info on her."  
  
"So, when she asks to see her mother, he'll take her but not before then?"  
  
"Pretty much."  
  
"Will he see Donna?" Kate wanted to know.  
  
"Of course, that's why he came. And one of the reasons why I came. I can play with Serena, take her for ice cream or to the park, while he visits with Donna." She turned to face Kate. "I can tell that you don't agree with Josh on this, but Serena has been through so much. Too much. This makes it easier for her."  
  
"It isn't my place to agree or disagree. She is his child now, in every way, now that the adoption went through." She hadn't meant to sound harsh, but her voice reflected her inner feelings.  
  
Zoey sighed. "He isn't trying to replace them. He is doing the best that he can with a situation that was presented to him."  
  
Kate glanced over to make sure that the men were still busy and weren't paying attention to the conversation. She knew Josh well enough to know that she didn't want to know what his reaction would be. "I understand that. I respect him for that. Not every single man would take his best friend's child like this. His love for that little girl is obvious. What I have to wonder is why he had to make it legal."  
  
She paused as she wiped her hands with a kitchen towel, then looked as Zoey. "He had legal custody, why did he have to adopt her?"  
  
Kate took a breath. "It was already in their hearts. All that putting it on paper did was completely sever Donna's parental rights."  
  
A light bulb went on in Zoey's head. Now she knew what this was all about. "Well, that's one of the reasons why he waited so long to do this, to make it official."  
  
She turned to look at the older woman, she wanted to make sure that Kate understood what she was saying. "But Kate, it's been over two years now. Did you want for him to wait forever, before getting on with his own life? Before letting Serena move on? How healthy do you think that that would be for Serena? For both of them to live in limbo?"  
  
"I know that it has been a long time, but it is still possible. There could still be a miracle."  
  
Zoey could see so much mixed hope and pain in the older woman's eyes that she couldn't really be angry with her for feeling this way. In the same situation, she would probably feel the same. Yet, that didn't mean that Kate was right.  
  
Kate continued, "When Donna survived being taken from life support, even your mother said that she didn't think that God would give us a miracle like that without letting Donna wake up."  
  
"But that was so long ago. I don't think that she still thinks that. And she was talking as a friend, not as a doctor. Don't get me wrong, I still hope for Donna to wake up, still pray for it, but after a certain amount of time you have to move on from something like this."  
  
After several moments of silence, Zoey spoke again. "Serena doesn't remember her," she whispered. "I mean, she remembers seeing her in the hospital the last time, seeing her laying there, lifeless. We tell her stories and show her pictures; but she has no real memories of Donna or Sam anymore. She was just so young when it happened. Josh is the only parental figure that she remembers. "  
  
Kate looked startled at those words.  
  
Zoey continued quickly, as it was best to lay all the cards on the table and have it out now with Kate, before Josh came into the conversation. "Even if he hadn't legally adopted her, she still wouldn't have known Donna as her mother, she wouldn't think of Donna that way. Donna is not Serena's mother. That was the consequence of the accident, not the adoption."  
  
With those words, Zoey turned and headed toward the steps, calling over her shoulder, "I'll get Serena."  
  
Kate stood there wordlessly, then picked up the salad and carried it over to the picnic table as Zoey's words sunk in. Zoey was right. None of them, save Serena, had been in that car that night, yet they were all victims of the accident. It wasn't fair for her to blame Josh for this, it wasn't his fault. He was doing what he felt was best for that little girl and that was what Sam and Donna had wanted him to do. She couldn't blame him for loving the child, for providing her with a family.  
  
As she placed salad dressing on the table, she glanced over to the steps. She could see Zoey and Serena walking up them, Serena's hand wrapped around Zoey's as the child chattered about something. Zoey seemed to be listening intently, her attention solely on the child. It was becoming clear to Kate that Zoey really loved Serena and that Serena reciprocated. Zoey was becoming part of Josh and Serena's little family. How long would it be before Serena started calling them Mommy and Daddy, she wondered. Before any possibility of Donna returning to her previous role as Serena's mother was wiped out?  
  
************* 


	2. Chapter Two

Author: Catgurl83  
  
Title: Changes for the Future (2?)  
  
Disclaimer: Characters from the show belong to a whole bunch of people and companies; none of them me.  
  
Rating: G  
  
Spoilers: Through season five.  
  
Characters: Josh, Zoey, Donna  
  
Pairings: Josh Zoey, mentions of Sam Donna  
  
Author's notes: Thanks to my beta reader, Classic She, for all of her help with this series!  
  
In order, the stories are; Unexpected Changes, Continued Changes, Changes Abound, Changes for the Future.  
  
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''  
  
"Can you put my hair in a Pollyanna?"  
  
"Of course," Zoey said as she gently ran the brush through Serena's long hair. She secured the little girl's silky soft hair in a Pollyanna and stood, setting the brush on the dresser.  
  
Serena hopped down off of the bed and Zoey smiled at her. "Ready to go downstairs?"  
  
Serena nodded cheerfully as she headed to the door.  
  
Zoey smiled at the little girl as they left the bedroom. She was glad that Serena seemed better today, more like herself than she had the morning before. She didn't know how Josh would take it if Serena got seriously ill again.  
  
When the two stepped into the kitchen, Kate looked up, a smile on her face.  
  
Josh and Jonathon were in the breakfast room, discussing an article in the morning paper. Zoey couldn't tell if it was a friendly argument or if the two men agreed on whatever it was that they were discussing.  
  
Zoey met Josh's eyes through the glass separating the breakfast room from the kitchen. He smiled and she returned it.  
  
"What's for breakfast?" Serena asked Kate cheerfully.  
  
"French toast." Kate smiled," For you, I thought I'd make peanut butter and jelly French toast."  
  
"Peanut butter and jelly French toast?" Serena repeated curiously.  
  
"How do you make that?" Zoey wondered. She'd never heard of peanut butter and jelly French toast before.  
  
"You make the French toast batter like normal and then make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Dip both sides of the sandwich in the batter and then fry it." She smiled, "It was my kids favorite when they were little. My grandson loves them."  
  
Serena smiled. "Sounds good."  
  
Zoey didn't agree but didn't say so. She wasn't a huge fan of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but Serena loved them. She smiled at Kate, "Is there anything that I can do to help?"  
  
Kate nodded slowly, still not used to the First Daughter's willingness to help. The more that she was around Zoey, the more pleasantly surprised she was. She flipped a piece of French toast. "You could get the orange juice from the fridge and glasses from the cupboard to your left and pour the juice."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Serena headed into the breakfast room. "Good morning Uncle Josh."  
  
"Morning Angel." He picked the little girl up and settled her on his lap.  
  
Serena looked over at Jonathon and gave him a shy smile. "Morning."  
  
Jonathon returned her smile with one of his own. "Good morning sweetie." He marveled at how different she looked now from the first time that he'd met her. It wasn't just that she was almost three years older now. The first time that he'd met her, she'd looked awful.  
  
He and Kate arrived in DC a couple of days before their daughter's wedding to Sam Seaborn. They stopped by Sam's house on their way to their hotel. Their daughter answered the door and after hugs were exchanged, led them into the family room.  
  
Sam had been half sitting half lying down on the sofa. Jonathon's heart had almost broken as he looked at the tiny little girl nestled against her father's chest, her head facing the door. He knew that the child was two, yet she looked like she was barely a year old. One tiny, flower shaped barrette held a wisp of light brown hair out of the toddler's face. She was so pale, no, ashen. He had spoken to his daughter, knew that Serena was in remission. Yet, if he hadn't known that, from Serena's appearance that day he would have thought that cancer was still ravaging her little body.  
  
Now, sitting on Josh's lap was a beautiful four-year-old girl. She was tiny but not alarmingly so. Her light brown hair reached the middle of her back and shone with health, it was pulled back and secured with a flower shaped clip this morning. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a lavender, lacy blouse with lilac shaped buttons down the front. She looked like a different child.  
  
Zoey stepped into the room with the orange juice. As she gave them each a glass of juice, Josh stood. "Good morning," he said softly as he leaned forward and brushed a light kiss to Zoey's lips.  
  
"Morning," Zoey replied as she reluctantly pulled back. As much as she wanted to deepen the kiss, this wasn't the time or place.  
  
Zoey took the seat next to Josh as Kate stepped into the room with the French toast.  
  
Pouring maple syrup over his French toast, Jonathon glanced around the table. "Have you thought about what you'd like to do today?"  
  
Josh swallowed a sip of orange juice, glanced at Serena before carefully answering. "Not really. We were thinking that we could find a park for Serena."  
  
"Cool," Serena said. When they took her to the park, they usually stopped for ice cream. Ice cream was her favorite food but her Uncle Josh wouldn't let her have as much of it as she'd like.  
  
Kate watched as Zoey picked up a knife and pulled Serena's plate a littler closer. She cut up several bites of the little girl's food before handing Serena's fork back to her. Neither Josh nor Serena seemed surprised, it seemed that this was the norm.  
  
Josh looked down at Serena who was swirling a piece of her French toast in a pool of syrup. The child refused to cover her food in anything. Instead, she chose to dip everything. He had no idea where she had gotten that from, possibly her birth mother or Alana. He met Jonathon's eyes again. "I was also thinking that I'd like to visit the nursing home today."  
  
Jonathon noticed Serena stiffen a bit at the words, her fork frozen over her plate. After a few moments, she picked up another piece of her food and brought it to her mouth. As she chewed, she stared fixedly at her plate.  
  
Serena took another bite before looking up. She looked up at Josh, her face sad. "Are you going to the home to visit Mommy?"  
  
"Yes, I am," he confirmed, his eyes on hers.  
  
"Oh." She was silent for several seconds before looking at Kate. "Is she okay?"  
  
Kate hesitated, unsure of what to say to the little girl, especially after her conversation with Zoey the day before. "Um, she's pretty much the same as she was before she left DC."  
  
At the mention of her mother being moved from DC, Serena's eyes clouded over for a brief instant. "She hasn't woken up?"  
  
"No, she hasn't."  
  
"Oh." She looked back at Josh. "Can I go with you?" Before he could answer, she hurriedly continued. "I don't know if I'll go in the room though."  
  
"That's okay Angel. You and Zoey can come to the nursing home with me and if you want to go in the room it is okay, but you don't have to."  
  
Serena nodded and turned back to her food. She turned a bite of French toast around and around in syrup as she tuned out the adult conversation going on around her.  
  
Did she want to see her mother? That was a hard question. She didn't know the answer. She really didn't know what she felt about her mother. She couldn't remember anything about her mom. Even when she tried to remember, nothing came. She couldn't remember her mom holding her or kissing her goodnight. She couldn't remember her mother playing with her or doing her hair.  
  
Her only memory of her mother was of Donna lying in a hospital bed. It scared her when she looked at her mom like that. She didn't move at all. Even sleeping people moved so looking at her mom was like looking at one of those dolls at the mall. It was hard to imagine her mother laughing or talking.  
  
But people expected her to want to see her mom, to miss her. Sometimes she wanted to ask, how do you miss someone whom you don't know?  
  
She missed having a mother more than she missed her actual mother. She'd watch her friends with their moms, see them hug, hear them say I love you and wished that she had a mother too. Even on TV, most of the cartoon children had mothers.  
  
It had gotten easier since her Uncle Josh had gotten together with Zoey. Zoey spent a lot of time with her and did a lot with her. But it wasn't the same as having a mom. Would she ever have a mother again? Would it be Zoey?  
  
Sometimes, she'd find herself wishing for Zoey to be her mother but she was afraid to wish too hard. As much as she wanted it to happen, it might not.  
  
"Serena?"  
  
She looked up. Everyone else had finished eating. Her own plate was still nearly full.  
  
"Are you okay?" Josh asked, remembering his concern from the day before. "Do you feel sick?"  
  
Serena shook her head. "I'm okay Uncle Josh. I'm not sick."  
  
Josh studied her before nodding. "Okay. Finish up before your food gets cold."  
  
Zoey followed Kate into the kitchen, dishes in her hands. She sat them on the counter as Kate opened the dishwasher.  
  
Rinsing a dish, Kate glanced at Zoey. "Have you and Josh thought about what you'd like to do with Serena while in Wisconsin?"  
  
Zoey dropped a fork into the dishwasher. "Besides visiting Donna? Not really. We thought that we'd play it by ear."  
  
Kate nodded. "While you're here, you really should take Serena to the beach. I'm sure that she'd love it."  
  
Zoey smiled. "I think that she would. She's been begging us to take her to Florida so that she can see the ocean."  
  
"Well, we don't have the ocean but the lakes are beautiful."  
  
"Which one would you recommend?" Zoey asked.  
  
Kate thought for a moment as she started the dishwasher. "Lake Mendota is wonderful and it isn't far from here."  
  
Zoey smiled. "A beach day sounds like fun. I'll talk to Josh about it."  
  
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''  
  
Josh pulled the rental car that Jonathon had taken him to get into a parking space. He climbed out of the car and glanced around.  
  
The parking lot had slots for fifty cars but only about half of the spots were filled. The parking lot led to a sidewalk. The other side of the sidewalk was filled with cheerful greenery.  
  
Josh opened Serena's car door and helped the little girl out of her car seat. The agents who had been in the car following theirs had joined them. Gina, who had been riding with them, had climbed out of the car.  
  
Serena walked between he and Zoey, holding onto their hands. Zoey's agents surrounded them.  
  
The building was smaller than Josh had expected. They stepped through a glass door into a small lobby. There were a few chairs and benches scattered around along with several potted plants.  
  
Josh approached the large desk that took up almost a whole wall. Two women sat behind it. One of the women was speaking on the phone but the other looked up. She smiled but eyed them all curiously, her gaze lingering on the agents. After a few moments, her eyes widened with recognition. "May I help you?" she asked a bit nervously.  
  
Josh smiled, used to reactions like hers by now. "We're here to see a patient."  
  
"What's the patient's name?"  
  
"Donna Moss-Seaborn."  
  
"May I ask your names?" she asked, rather needlessly, but she did as it was policy. She wasn't allowed to let anyone past to see a patient unless they were authorized by the next-of-kin.  
  
Zoey smiled, glad that the woman was so by-the-book. She could very easily just let them past because she knew who Zoey's father was. "Zoey Bartlett." She gestured behind her. "Those are my Secret Service Agents."  
  
"Josh Lyman," Josh answered. He looked down. "And this is Serena Seaborn." After the adoption, he had chosen to leave Serena's last name the same until she could decide if she wanted to change it.  
  
At Serena's name, the nurse's smile widened. "It's nice to finally meet you Serena. There are pictures of you in your mother's room along with some of your drawings."  
  
Serena smiled shyly. "Uncle Josh sends some of my drawings to Grandma Kate so that she can bring them to Mommy."  
  
The nurse typed something into her computer before standing. "You're all on the list. Would you like me to show you where her room is?"  
  
"Please," Zoey said with a smile. The place wasn't huge but it was large enough that they could have some difficulty finding Donna's room.  
  
This place had a friendlier feeling than the hospital had, Josh mused. It didn't smell as strongly of disinfectant. The floor at the hospital had been linoleum; here the floor was carpeted. One of the walls was covered with a huge card, made for all of the patients by the students at a local elementary school. As they walked down the hall, they saw several patients out and about. Some were with visitors, others seemed to be by themselves.  
  
Most of the doors were open and Josh could see that the rooms were bright and cheerful.  
  
The nurse stopped before a room and turned back to them. "Here it is."  
  
Josh gave her a smile as one of Zoey's agents stepped into the room. "Thank you. Is there a waiting area of some sort?"  
  
She saw him discreetly glance down at Serena and knew what he was asking. "There is a small room at the end of this hall. It has some vending machines. There is also a beautiful garden."  
  
Zoey's agent stepped out of the room and gave a nod to let them know that the room was clear.  
  
As the nurse left, Josh knelt down next to Serena. "Do you want to go into the waiting room and get a candy bar?"  
  
Serena peered past him into her mother's room. After thinking for several seconds, she nodded silently.  
  
"I'll be there in a little while," Josh told Zoey.  
  
After Serena, Zoey, and the agents had started down the hall to the waiting room, Josh turned back to Donna's room. After taking a deep breath, he stepped through the open door.  
  
He glanced around the bright room. The blinds at the window had been opened to allow sunlight to filter in.  
  
A white dresser stood against one of the walls. A vase of flowers stood a top the dresser. The flowers lent a sweet fragrance to the room. A few cards also stood on the dresser.  
  
The wall above the dresser was covered in some of Serena's drawings. He recognized a few of the art projects that Serena had made at preschool.  
  
A framed picture of Serena, Donna, and Sam stood on the stand next to the bed. If Donna awoke, this picture would most likely be one of the first things that she saw.  
  
The bedding wasn't stark and plain like the bedding at the hospital had been. The sheets appeared to be a pale yellow and a light multicolored quilt was thrown over Donna.  
  
The room had a more comfortable, permanent feel than the hospital room. In some ways, he was glad. He knew that Donna would like this room better than she had liked the hospital room. Yet, the sense of permanency caused him to swallow hard.  
  
He had accepted that this was probably a permanent arrangement, that she wasn't going to wake up. It was still hard to reconcile himself to the fact.  
  
Knowing that he couldn't put it off any longer, he stepped up closer to the bed. Sitting down in the chair next to the bed, he finally looked at Donna. Her long, white-blond hair was still very short, it didn't even reach her ears. He realized that it would be too difficult to care for long but he knew that she would hate it so short. It looked like she had lost even more weight, her face was so gaunt. When Donna had been removed from life support and had survived, one of the things that her doctors had prepared them for was the weight loss. They had said that it was difficult to control and regulate weight in comatose patients.  
  
"Hey Donnatella, it's me, Josh. I know that it has been awhile since I've visited you. You know what it is like to try to get away from the White House for any length of time."  
  
Josh paused for a few moments, trying to decide what to say. So much had happened since the last time he'd spoken to her. What was important enough for him to tell her?  
  
"Serena is doing well. She is a beautiful, delightful little girl. It is so hard to believe that she will be five next month. It seems like yesterday she was just a toddler."  
  
"You'd be so proud of your little girl. In so many ways she reminds me of Sam. She has his sensitivity, his compassion and she looks a lot like him. She still adores Tuft." He chuckled, "A few days ago, she actually bawled the paper boy out for calling Tuft weird looking. He was too shocked at having a four-year-old scold him to respond."  
  
He took a deep breath before continuing, "Several months ago, I filed papers. They went through a few weeks ago. Serena is now my adopted daughter." He watched her face for a reaction to his words but of course, there was none. "Serena needed the security, the permanency." He felt the need to justify his actions to her, his way of apologizing for taking her daughter.  
  
"Zoey and I are still together. She's here in Wisconsin with me. We've been together just under six months and I already can't imagine my life without her. She has become such an integral part of it." He smiled, "I'm in love with her."  
  
"It's weird," he mused aloud, almost unaware that he was doing so. It seemed so natural to be confiding in Donna like this. It was much easier talking to her about stuff like this than it was his other friends. Maybe it was the fact that she was alive and possibly listening, so he didn't feel like an idiot talking aloud, yet she couldn't offer any advice, probably couldn't form any opinions. He really had no one to talk with concerning his feelings for Zoey.  
  
"Zoey is so different from the other women whom I've dated. She's kind and compassionate, loving. She isn't politically driven. She loves me for me, not for what I can do for her and her career. But you knew that it would be like that, didn't you? You knew that Zoey would be good for me. That's why you told her to make a move, to go for a relationship with me."  
  
"The President and Abbey still aren't thrilled with the relationship but I think that Abbey's pretty much accepted it. The President is still trying to deny it but I think that he knows how much we love each other."  
  
"Toby and CJ both asked me to tell you hi. They still claim that they aren't going to get married until President Bartlett's second term ends."  
  
He stood. "I'd stay longer but Serena is waiting for me. I'll be back before we leave." He leaned forward and dropped a light kiss to her forehead.  
  
Outside of her room, he started down the hallway in the direction that the nurse had indicated. It wasn't difficult to find the waiting area, especially with Zoey's agents outside the door.  
  
Inside, Serena was munching on a Twix bar as she spoke to an elderly lady in a wheelchair. Since the child hadn't noticed him, Josh leaned back against the wall to listen to her. Zoey stood up from her seat and crossed the small room to join him, leaning her head against his shoulder as his arm went around her.  
  
Serena was shaking her head. "This is the first time that I've been to Wisconsin. My mommy is here."  
  
The old woman glanced over at Zoey. She had been very surprised to find men in black standing outside the door, questioning patients before letting them inside, and even more surprised to find the First Daughter inside the room. She turned back to the little girl. "You're from Washington?"  
  
"Yep," Serena said cheerfully. "I live with my Uncle Josh. He works in the White House."  
  
"Do you know the President?" the woman asked curiously. She was enjoying her conversation with this little girl. She really missed her grandchildren.  
  
Serena nodded. "Uncle Jed." She lowered her voice conspiratorially, "He'll probably become my grandpa though as soon as Uncle Josh gets a clue and marries Zoey."  
  
Surprised, the woman burst out laughing, as did Zoey. Josh just stared at Serena with a shocked look on his face. Finally, he stammered, "Serena."  
  
Serena looked up, startled to find him in the room. "Hi, Uncle Josh," she said innocently.  
  
Josh crossed the room and sat down next to Serena. He turned to the lady in the wheelchair, "Hi, I'm Josh Lyman."  
  
The woman gave another laugh. "So I assumed. You should have seen your expression when she said that." She shook her head. "Some of the things that kids say. I have eight of them plus twelve grandkids; I'm used to it. I'm Rose, by the way."  
  
"Nice to meet you," Josh said, grateful that the woman was taking Serena's comment lightly. She didn't seem like the type to call up the Inquirer.  
  
"She's a precocious little girl," Rose complimented Josh before turning back to Serena. "It was nice to meet you Serena. I've got to go or they'll start the poker game without me."  
  
"Bye," Serena said.  
  
Once they were alone in the room, Josh turned back to Serena. "Why did you tell her that?"  
  
"Tell her what?"  
  
"That I should get a clue and marry Zoey," Josh reminded patiently.  
  
Serena's eyes filled with worry. "Was that wrong? I didn't know that you would get upset. I didn't mean to say something that I shouldn't."  
  
"I know that Angel but we have to be very careful with what we say to strangers, even nice strangers. Because of my job and my relationship with Zoey, the things that we say can be used in tabloids if we aren't careful."  
  
Serena's eyes widened. "Is that going to be in a tabloid?"  
  
"I don't think so but you need to be more careful."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Zoey sat down on Serena's other side. "Where did you hear that?" It had been plain to her that Serena was parroting someone else's comment. She had learned very quickly to be careful with what she said in the child's hearing.  
  
Serena looked down, not sure if she should say.  
  
"Serena," Josh said warningly.  
  
Serena looked up, she knew that tone. She had to answer him even if she didn't want to. "I wasn't supposed to hear," she admitted. "They thought that I was sleeping."  
  
"Who did?" Zoey asked, even though she was already pretty sure that she knew.  
  
"Aunt Abbey said it to Ellie."  
  
Zoey nodded, she had been right. A few weeks before her sister had visited for a few days. Amy had been sick and Josh had brought Serena to the White House with him. He had had a meeting that he couldn't get out of and hadn't wanted to leave Serena with his latest temp. Abbey had offered to watch the little girl for a few hours. Apparently, her mother and sister had been talking while they thought that Serena was napping in the other room.  
  
"Ellie said that Uncle Jed still hasn't completely accepted your relationship with Uncle Josh," Serena continued. "Aunt Abbey said that he probably wouldn't until Uncle Josh got a clue and married you. Uncle Jed likes Uncle Josh but he is worried that Uncle Josh will end up hurting you." Finished with her synopsis of the conversation, Serena turned to Josh. "You won't, will you? I like Zoey."  
  
"So do I Serena. I don't plan on hurting her."  
  
"Are you going to marry her?"  
  
Josh remembered that Serena had asked him a similar question when he told her that he was going to start dating Zoey. He wasn't any more prepared for the question now. "We aren't planning to get married right now," he finally answered.  
  
"But eventually," Serena asked.  
  
"Maybe eventually," Josh answered.  
  
"Okay," Serena said. She stood up. "I'd like to see Mommy now."  
  
Josh blinked at the rapid change of subject. "Sure." He stood up and Serena took his hand.  
  
"I'll stay here," Zoey offered softly, wanting to give them some privacy for what she knew could be a very difficult visit.  
  
Josh gave her a smile. "We'll be back soon."  
  
As they walked out of the room, Zoey picked up a magazine and started thumbing through it. She remembered the day that Donna was unplugged from life support. After Donna's heart had started again, everyone but Donna's parents, Josh, her own mother, and Leo had left the room.  
  
She had gone back to the waiting room where Charlie was sitting with Serena. She had flipped through a magazine that day too. She had been so insecure. She hadn't actually wanted Donna to die but she had been afraid that if Donna woke up, she'd lose any chance of a romantic relationship with Josh. So much had changed. Now she knew that even if Donna woke up, it wouldn't affect her relationship with Josh. Josh was in love with her, not Donna.  
  
Josh and Serena reached Donna's room. Serena walked through the open door without pausing. She knew that if she paused, she might lose her nerve.  
  
The last time that she had seen her mother, in DC, she had freaked out. It had just been too difficult. She hadn't gone to see her mother again after that because she was afraid that it would happen again. And then, her mother's parents had decided to bring her back to Wisconsin and she hadn't been able to see her again.  
  
Serena approached the bed. Her mother looked so different from the pictures. In the pictures, Donna's hair was long and beautiful. Her eyes were open and usually sparkling with happiness. She was usually laughing or at least smiling. Here she looked lifeless. The light rise and fall of her chest was the only indication of life.  
  
"Hi Mommy." Could she hear her? Serena wondered. Did she even know that she was here? "We're staying with Grandma Kate and Grandpa Jonathon. I really like your skating rink. Uncle Josh is going to go skating in it with me," she said excitedly. "Grandma Kate said that you used to spend as much time downstairs as you could skating or blading."  
  
"Uncle Josh let me get a puppy. Her name is Tuft. She is a Hairless Chinese Crested and is very sweet. She'll never be very big; kind of like a stuffed animal, only alive. Since she's so small, she can go places with us." She glanced up at Josh reproachfully. "Uncle Josh made me leave her with Aunt CJ and Uncle Toby when we came here though. He said it was easier than making arrangements to bring her on the plane. He said that she probably wouldn't like flying."  
  
"I miss you being in DC," Serena continued. "But I know that your mommy and daddy missed you. I hope that you are happier now that they can come and visit everyday. I know you must get lonely. I'll come back and see you when I can," she promised before turning to Josh. "I'm ready to go now.  
  
As they stepped out into the hall, Josh wondered if that was how these visits would always go. Would Serena always be so quick and to the point? Yet, what did he expect? It was hard for him to talk to Donna at times since there was no response. Of course it was hard for a four-year-old.  
  
"Let's get Zoey's and then we can go."  
  
Serena looked up at him. "Can we get pizza on our way to the park? Please?"  
  
Josh shrugged, "Why not. We'll need to call Grandma Kate and Grandpa Jonathon to let them know that we'll be longer than we expected."  
  
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''  
  
"I think this one will work," Zoey announced later that afternoon.  
  
Josh eyed the skate in her hand before reluctantly taking it from her. He still didn't want to do this but he'd promised.  
  
Zoey went back to studying the shelf of skates before sighing. "The pair in Serena's size has laces." She handed the pair to the little girl.  
  
"Is that bad?"  
  
Zoey shrugged. "There are pros and cons to both buckles and laces. I prefer buckles. They're easier and faster to put on."  
  
Josh buckled one of his skates and turned to watch Zoey lace Serena up. It did seem to take longer. But then, Serena was having trouble sitting still, she was so anxious to begin.  
  
Zoey put her own skates on and stood.  
  
"We get to go blading now?" Serena asked.  
  
"Yep," Zoey answered cheerfully.  
  
Kate, who had been watching quietly, stood up. "Do you want me to take Serena while you help Josh?"  
  
Zoey gave her a grateful smile. "Please."  
  
"I don't think that I need help," Josh scoffed. "I'm a smart man, how hard could this be?"  
  
Zoey raised an eyebrow. "Stand up."  
  
Josh stood and immediately lost his balance. He only remained standing because Zoey reached out a hand to steady him. "Thanks," he said with a sheepish smile.  
  
Zoey shrugged. "In-line skating or blading as most people call it, is hard the first time." She lead him out to the rink where Kate was already helping Serena, who seemed to want to have both feet on the ground at all times.  
  
"This would be more fun on the street. Maybe we can do that next time. Stay here."  
  
Josh clung to the rail as Zoey skated out into the rink, gaining speed as she went. She made her way around the rink, turning expertly. He swallowed hard. She was amazing.  
  
She skated out into the center of the rink and stopped. He wondered what she was doing. She waited a few moments as if bracing herself for something and then lifted her arms out to her sides. She turned so her arms and upper body went clockwise then swiftly turned back. She lifted up on the toe of her left foot and the heel of her right foot and tucked her arms around her body, hugging herself.  
  
His breath caught in his throat as he watched her spin around and around, gaining speed as she went. Finally, she extended her arms again and slowed to a stop, dropping her arms back down. Her face was flushed and her eyes shinning, she made her way back to him and leaned against the rail.  
  
"Wow!" Serena exclaimed. "That was cool."  
  
Zoey laughed. "Thank you, Sweetie."  
  
"Can I do that?"  
  
She smiled. "Maybe, eventually, but not for a while. We'll work on some easier moves first."  
  
"Cool!" Serena looked back at Kate, who was still holding on to her, keeping her from falling.  
  
Zoey turned back to Josh. At the look on his face, she burst out laughing again.  
  
Josh tucked a strand of damp hair behind her ear. "That was amazing."  
  
She shrugged. "I love doing it. I just don't get to do it as often as I'd like. To be honest, I wasn't even sure that I could still do it. It's been a long time since I've tried."  
  
"It looked difficult. You've done this more than I thought," he commented. He'd known that she could skate but he'd figured it was strictly a hobby. He hadn't been at all prepared to see her do something like that.  
  
"It's called a two-foot spin. Figure skaters do them on the ice. That's how I learned." She laughed. "In my early teens I became very into in-line skating. I spent hours trying to come up with new tricks to freak my parents out."  
  
Josh grinned. "Did it work?"  
  
"At first but then my dad took to learning all that he could about the sport. Whenever I did something that he thought was dangerous, he'd sit me down afterwards and tell me all about the first pair of in-lines made by a Dutchman in the 1700s. Or he'd lecture me about how in-lines are made. I learned quickly to limit the tricks to times when he and mom wouldn't find out."  
  
Josh nodded, not at all surprised. He didn't even want to know what tricks Zoey had done that the President had deemed that dangerous, certainly not what she'd just done.  
  
"So, are you ready to skate?"  
  
He nodded and took her hand, allowing her to lead him away from the security of the rail. He tried to keep his legs moving but it was harder than it looked.  
  
As Josh started to get the hang of it, Zoey glanced over at Serena who was still clinging to her grandmother but seemed to be doing pretty well. With practice, the little girl would be good.  
  
"You're doing great Serena," Kate encouraged, finally letting go.  
  
Zoey held her breath but Serena didn't fall. The look of accomplishment on the little girl's face made her grin proudly.  
  
Serena beamed but said nothing, afraid that even speaking would throw her balance off. She was glad that her grandma was staying close, ready to catch her if she needed help.  
  
"She's loving this," Josh said a few minutes later.  
  
"Yes, she is."  
  
Josh watched Serena happily come to a stop without help, her face shinning with happiness. "I should get her a pair."  
  
"And yourself too, so that you can supervise her."  
  
Josh cringed but nodded.  
  
"Is this really that bad?"  
  
Josh looked down at her hand in his own. "No." Skating would take some getting used to but if it meant more time with Zoey, he'd do it. And she obviously loved this sport. It was something else that they could do together, as a family.  
  
"How was your visit with Donna?" Zoey asked, turning her head to look at him. This was the first chance that she had gotten to talk to him privately.  
  
Josh sighed, "It is hard to see her like that." He paused for a moment before continuing, his eyes on Serena. "I told her that I adopted Serena. I know that she isn't going to wake up, it's been too long. But as I told her that, I couldn't help but study her face. I couldn't stop myself from thinking that her eyes were going to snap open. That she was going to glare at me, her eyes blazing fire, and tell me that Serena already had a parent, her."  
  
Zoey squeezed his hand. She knew how hard this was for him. Donna had been one of his closest friends, the wife of his best friend. He would never stop caring about her, never stop wishing that things were different. Yet, if they were different, he wouldn't have Serena and likely, they wouldn't be together.  
  
"I can't even imagine what it is like for her," Josh went on. "To hear all of us talk to her and not be able to respond. To be alive, yet unable to participate in life."  
  
Zoey had wondered that before. If those in comas could really understand all that was being said to them, if they knew how much time was passing, how could they handle it? How could it not drive them crazy? She chose to hope that it wasn't like that, to think that comatose patients were nearly oblivious to their surroundings. Medical science really couldn't say one way or the other. Some doctors insisted that those in comas knew all that was going on around them and others insisted that they didn't.  
  
"Seeing her there, like that, I finally really understood where her parents were coming from. As hard as it is to say this, they were right about moving her here. If she knows what is going on, I'm sure that she is more comfortable here."  
  
Zoey nodded. From what she'd seen of the home, she thought that it had a homier feel. And having her parents visit everyday had to stave off some of Donna's loneliness.  
  
Josh turned to meet Zoey's eyes. "She looked likes she's lost weight." He sighed, "It's like she is wasting away, a little at a time."  
  
Wasting away? So, now she knew why he'd been so quiet this afternoon. She really didn't know what to say. She wasn't really that surprised but Josh seemed surprised.  
  
After Kate and Jonathon had moved Donna to Wisconsin, Zoey had talked to her mother about Donna's condition. According to her mother, the longer that someone had been in a coma, the less likely that they'd ever wake up. She had said that even the doctors never really knew how long someone would survive in a coma. Comatose patients could live in a coma for decades or they could die within a few years. But usually they died prematurely.  
  
"Kate and Jonathon didn't warn us," Josh said accusingly, leaning against the rail that they stood next to.  
  
"They probably didn't think of it," Zoey reasoned. "They see her everyday. To them it might not be as noticeable."  
  
Josh ran his free hand through his hair. "Yeah."  
  
"Look," Serena said as she skated over to them, Kate a few feet behind her.  
  
"Very good," Josh told her, smiling.  
  
"Can we do this again?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"Cool," Serena said before skating off.  
  
Zoey laughed at the little girl's enthusiasm. "She certainly is having a good time on this trip."  
  
Josh nodded in agreement.  
  
"I was thinking that maybe we could go to the beach. I think it'd be fun."  
  
An image of Zoey in a bikini flashed before him and he grinned. "Sure."  
  
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''  
  
Josh stared out at Serena who was still skating. He smiled as he watched Zoey playing with the child, slowly chasing her around the rink. He knew that Zoey could go much faster but she was purposefully staying behind Serena.  
  
"They're good together," Kate commented from the spot next to him.  
  
"Yeah, they are."  
  
Zoey finally caught Serena who squealed in glee as Zoey spun her around.  
  
"They spend a lot of time together?"  
  
Josh turned to look at Kate, purposefully keeping his face blank. During the last few months, he'd dealt with many questions like that. Many people had gotten small digs in, or at least tried. He had quickly tired of it. His and Zoey's relationship was no ones' business but there own. "They do. Why?"  
  
Kate held back her blanch at his tone. Had she hit a nerve somehow? "Sorry. I was just making conversation."  
  
Josh ran his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry that I snapped at you."  
  
"You get questioned about your relationship with Zoey a lot, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah. Less than when we first started dating though. Reporters still watch us closely. The press, the public, seem to have problems with the idea that we could really care about each other."  
  
Kate nodded. She was surprised that Josh was talking with her like this. She didn't mind being a sounding board but they'd never been close so she hadn't expected this. He must have been holding all of this in for a while.  
  
"They think that it can't really be serious because I'm so much older than her. She's the First Daughter and I'm her father's Deputy Chief of Staff." He laughed a bit harshly. "Someone actually told me that all that this was about was me going through a mid-life crisis. He suggested that I get a flashy car instead."  
  
Kate shook her head. She wouldn't admit it to him, but at first, she'd thought that too. She'd wondered what he was thinking exposing Serena to his relationship with Zoey under those circumstances. During the last couple of days, she'd watched them together though. Her opinion of them had changed. Jonathon felt the same way. "Does Zoey know about that?"  
  
"No. People are generally smart enough to leave me the hell alone when she or Serena are with me. But we get a lot of strange looks, stares when we're out together." He paused. "The longer we're together the less the general public seems to notice us. But the press is just waiting for us to break up."  
  
"You sound like that isn't going to happen," Kate said carefully.  
  
"I don't plan for it to."  
  
She blinked. "Are you talking about..."  
  
"Not now, but eventually, maybe. Serena can't wait for us to get married."  
  
"She's really suffered hasn't she?" She looked out at the laughing little girl. "I never really gave much consideration to how much she must miss her mother, her father."  
  
"In some ways it's gotten much easier for her. Her memories of them have faded so she doesn't know them enough to miss them."  
  
Kate nodded in understanding. "When Jonathon and I moved Donna, we knew it would likely hurt Serena but we just didn't feel like we could let that into our considerations. I'm glad to see that Serena is doing all right with it now."  
  
"You did the right thing," Josh admitted after several silent minutes spent watching Serena and Zoey play. "Donna is much better off now. And I think that Serena agrees with me even if she doesn't say it."  
  
Kate smiled watching Zoey catch Serena and lift the giggling child up, spinning around slowly. "Serena is a very lucky little girl to have you and Zoey to fulfill the parental roles in her life. You both obviously mean a lot to her and to each other. That's all that matters."  
  
She turned toward the stairs to make dinner, leaving Josh to ponder her words.  
  
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''  
  
"It's beautiful out here," Zoey said, looking up at the light blue sky.  
  
"Mmm hmmm," Josh agreed, running his hand through his girlfriend's damp hair. Zoey turned to press a kiss to Josh's lips, wishing that everyone nearby them on the beach wasn't watching.  
  
"Are you going to come play in the sand? It's fun," Serena called from her spot a few feet from them.  
  
Josh, who was leaning back on a beach towel with Zoey leaning against him, looked over at Serena. Plastic pails, shovels, and sand sifters surrounded the little girl. Her damp bathing suit was splattered with sand but she didn't seem to know or care. She was delightedly scooping sand into a large pile. He looked back at Zoey, wishing that they could stay just as they were. With a reluctant sigh, he shifted.  
  
Zoey stood up and they padded on bare feet over to Serena. "What are you building?" Zoey asked, sinking down next to the child.  
  
"Nothing," Serena said. "I'm just making a really big pile of sand."  
  
"Okay," Josh said, accepting a shovel from her. He scooped up some sand and added it to her pile. He'd never really understood childhood logic.  
  
"So, why are we doing this?" Zoey asked once their pile was pretty big. "Are we going to use this to make a castle?"  
  
"We could," Serena said with a grin.  
  
"But we aren't going to," Josh surmised.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Then what are we going to do?"  
  
Serena gave him a sweet smile and Zoey burst out laughing, now knowing what the child had planned. "You are going to lay down. Zoey and I are going to bury you."  
  
"I don't think so Serena."  
  
"Come on Uncle Josh. Why not? They do it on TV and in movies."  
  
"This isn't TV or a movie and I don't want to be covered in sand." He shuddered, thinking about the places the sand would end up.  
  
"Please? There's just two of us. We won't be able to cover you up all the way," Serena coaxed.  
  
Josh looked over at Zoey pleadingly. "The sand will be all over me even under my clothes."  
  
Zoey laughed. "You'll wash. Lay down."  
  
With a deep sigh, Josh laid back. He could see the mirth sparkling in Serena's eyes and the happiness on Zoey's face. Even the Secret Service Agents around them looked like they were holding back smiles as Serena dumped a bucketful of sand onto his t-shirt.  
  
Zoey took a toy shovel and gently patted the sand down as Serena added more and more to the heap on top of Josh.  
  
Josh tried to lie still as the itchy sand made contact with his skin. He really couldn't believe that he'd allowed this. A few years ago, there's no way that he would have agreed to this. And even now, for anyone else he wouldn't have. But Zoey and Serena, he had trouble deny them anything. And they knew it.  
  
"You doing okay?" Zoey asked as she poured some sand over his legs.  
  
"I guess," Josh answered. Sand now covered his torso, arms, and part of his legs. They'd been at this for a while but he didn't know quite how long as he couldn't see a clock or watch.  
  
The other people at the beach had been staring at them all day. But now, everyone who walked by stared while chuckling, some right out loud, others trying to hide their reactions. Josh had seen some of those people walk by several times, they were probably just making up reasons to go past.  
  
A camera went off and Josh winced. He knew that a few other pictures had been taken is the last few hours as well. After the first photo, he'd thought about leaving but Serena had been having so much fun that he just hadn't been able to make her leave the beach.  
  
He wasn't sure if the pictures had been taken by professional photographers or by tourists. Neither would surprise him. He wasn't sure which he'd prefer. The idea of strangers having pictures of Zoey and Serena did not appeal to him. Nor did the idea of pictures of their family vacation making it into newspapers.  
  
"I'm getting tired."  
  
Josh hid his smile. "Oh really? You can stop if you want. Maybe spend some time in the water."  
  
"Cool." She dropped her shovel and stood up.  
  
"Whoa. You have to unbury me first."  
  
Serena mock frowned. "Why can't you just stay like that? We can finish after I swim for a while."  
  
"Serena, that's not nice," Zoey said with mock sternness but spoiled the effect by laughing.  
  
Serena pretended to sigh as she started to dig sand off of Josh.  
  
Standing, Josh brushed the rest of the sand away and then headed to the water, Serena running ahead of him gleefully. "Don't go too far," he called after her as she reached the water's edge.  
  
The little girl went in as far as her knees, splashing gleefully.  
  
Zoey followed them with a soft smiling on her face. Josh caught up with Serena and took the child further out. The little girl could swim but not that well. Because of her illness and then the accident, lessons had had to be postponed.  
  
In the water, Zoey waded over to Josh and Serena. "I thought you might want this."  
  
Serena accepted the speckled flotation ring that had a dog head, from Zoey and Josh helped her climb in. "Thank you," she said.  
  
"You're welcome," Zoey said. She dipped farther down in the water when she noticed the curious eyes on her. She wished that they could be inconspicuous, have fun without being stared at. Wherever they went, people watched. She'd picked Serena up at school a couple of times and even the teachers stared at her, though they at least had the tact to look away when Zoey noticed them. Not that this was anything new. She hadn't been able to go unnoticed and recognized in public since she was a little girl but now, it was more noticeable. People weren't just excited to spot her, they were curious about her and Josh.  
  
She really wanted to live a quiet life, away from the bustle of Washington DC and the cameras that seemed to be everywhere that she went. She wished that she was free to live like most people did. To go to the grocery store without being recognized. In her heart, she knew that that would probably never happen.  
  
Zoey was pulled from her thoughts by cold water hitting her face. "You think that's funny?" she asked a giggling Serena.  
  
Serena's only answer was to kick her feet again, sending more water toward Zoey.  
  
Zoey used both hands to scoop water and splash it toward the child, who promptly splashed her again. Not able to suppress her smile any longer, Zoey lifted both arms and brought them both down into the water, sending a cascade of water toward Serena.  
  
"Hey," Josh sputtered, wiping his eyes. Until now, he'd stood a foot away from Serena watching the game between the two with amusement.  
  
"Sorry," Zoey said but she spoiled the effect by laughing.  
  
Josh moved toward her slowly, trying to look menacing. He glanced at Serena. "I don't think so, do you?"  
  
"Uh uh."  
  
"Traitor," Zoey told Serena as she backed away from Josh.  
  
Knowing that Zoey wasn't expecting it, Josh quickly dove underwater and grabbed her feet.  
  
Zoey came up sputtering. "That wasn't fair," she accused, hiding her smile.  
  
Holding back laughter, Josh shrugged.  
  
"You know what?" Zoey glanced at Serena. "I think that's it."  
  
"Yep," the child agreed.  
  
"What's it?" Josh asked in confusion.  
  
"Water war," they said simultaneously as they splashed water at Josh.  
  
He barely had time to yell 'hey' before another onslaught of water was directed at him. Grinning, he began splashing wildly, trying to get them back.  
  
After several minutes, Zoey held her hands up. "You win! I give up," she said, laughing.  
  
Josh turned to Serena. "How about you, young lady? Are you ready to agree that I'm the best?"  
  
Serena snorted. "The best? In your dreams. But I'm ready to stop. Can we go get a snack?"  
  
Josh pretended to be insulted but ruined it by grinning. "Sure."  
  
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''  
  
Late that evening, Zoey used the key that Kate had given them to unlock the front door. She, Josh and her agents stepped inside. Most of the lights were out and the house seemed pretty quiet.  
  
Kate came out of the kitchen when she heard the door. She smiled when she saw Josh, Zoey and Serena. The two adults looked as relaxed as she'd ever seen them. They stood together with Serena in Josh's arms asleep. All three of them had damp hair. Zoey wore a sundress and a pair of sandals. Josh seemed comfortable in a pair of faded jeans and a Yale T-shirt. Both Josh and Zoey were smiling contentedly.  
  
"Did you guys have a good time?" Kate asked softly so as to not disturb Serena.  
  
"We had a very good time," Zoey answered.  
  
"Good. I baked some cookies today. Would you like some with coffee?"  
  
"That sounds great," Josh said. "We'll be right down after we've put Serena to bed."  
  
They changed Serena into pajamas and tucked her into bed. In the hallway, Josh turned to look at Zoey. "Since Serena's asleep, do you think tonight would be a good time?"  
  
Zoey saw the uncertainty in her boyfriend's eyes. She knew that it had been difficult for him to even bring the things. The idea of approaching Kate about this frightened and worried him. He didn't want to upset the older woman. "I think tonight would be a great time." She took his hand. "I really don't think she's going to mind."  
  
Josh brushed a light kiss to her lips. "I hope you're right."  
  
When they got downstairs, Kate was already at the table. A plate of cookies sat in the center of the table and cups of coffee waited for them.  
  
Kate looked up when she heard them in the doorway. When she saw the box in Josh's hands, her eyes reflected curiosity. After a few silent moments, her eyes widened in recognition. "Where did you get that?" she asked softly.  
  
Josh moved toward the table. He set the plastic box on the floor and sat down across from Kate. Zoey took the seat next to Josh, laying a comforting hand on his leg under the table. "We found it when we cleaned Sam and Donna's room out a few months ago," Josh answered.  
  
"Did you go through it?" Kate asked  
  
Josh shook his head negatively. "We didn't think that we should. You put this together. We felt that we should talk to you."  
  
Kate spoke through an emotion choked throat. "You wanted my permission?"  
  
Josh hesitated. "Not so much your permission. We... we were hoping that you'd go through it with us."  
  
She nodded. "Of course. Let's take our coffee to the family room."  
  
Once they were settled in the family room, Kate gestured to the box. "Can you open it?"  
  
With a nod Zoey lifted the lid and set it aside. She handed the first item to Kate.  
  
Kate lovingly ran her hand over the diary's cloth cover. She touched the dinky lock that Donna had been so sure would keep people out. "She wrote this when she was nine-years-old. From that time on, she always had a diary."  
  
Josh nodded, thinking about the Cliff Calley incident.  
  
"I... Serena should have this to know her mother by," Kate said finally.  
  
"I was hoping that she could have the things in this box for that purpose," Josh said carefully. If Kate was insistent on having the box herself, he wouldn't argue but he hoped that she agreed.  
  
Kate took her daughter's stuffed puppy out of the box. This was Donna's favorite stuffed animal as a child. For years, she couldn't sleep without it. She knew that Donna had had the toy out of the box during the last several years because when she'd packed these things up, he'd been close to the bottom. Tonight, the toy was on top. She smoothed her hand over the ragged fur as tears began to well in her eyes. She would love to have these things, these memories back. But she had memories. She knew what her daughter had been like, what a special person she had been. What a special person she still was, she corrected herself. "Serena can have these things," she whispered.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Kate fingered a tiny dress from the box. "I'd like to be the one to go through these things with her."  
  
Josh swallowed. "Of course. I'm sure that she'll love that when she's older."  
  
"I hope so," Kate said. She wanted nothing more than to share her memories of her precious daughter with her granddaughter. "I... if it's okay with you, I'd like to keep these things here."  
  
"Of course," Josh said again, now knowing that he'd done the right thing in bringing the box here to Kate. "Would you like to go through these things alone?"  
  
Kate looked at him, surprise evident on her face. "I thought you wanted me to show you these things."  
  
"I do. But if you'd rather go through them by yourself first, or with Jonathon, I understand. You can show them to Zoey and I another time, when you are ready to."  
  
After a few moments, Kate nodded. "Thank you. I think that would be better."  
  
Josh and Zoey both stood up. "We'll see you in the morning," Zoey said.  
  
"Goodnight," Kate said before allowing her tears to begin to fall.  
  
Josh and Zoey headed upstairs. They stopped outside the guest bedroom where Zoey was staying. Josh leaned forward, meeting her lips with his.  
  
"I wish you could stay," Zoey said softly once they'd broken apart.  
  
"So do I." He was staying in the red and black bedroom that had belonged to Donna's brothers. "We'll be home in a few days."  
  
She nodded. She kissed him once more before going into the bedroom.  
  
With a sigh, Josh walked down the hall, to his room, already missing Zoey.  
  
'''''''''''''''''''''''''' 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Characters that you recognize from the show don't belong to me.

Author: Catgurl83

Title: Changes for the Future (3?)

Rating: R

Pairing: Josh Zoey

Spoilers: Through season five to be safe.

Author's notes: The stories in the series are Unexpected Changes, Continued Changes, Changes Abound, and Changes for the Future. All of them can be found on 

The Amy in this story is Serena's nanny not Amy Gardner.

Thanks to Classic She for beta reading this story for me.

--------------

"You know, you could smile."

Toby scowled. "Smile?"

"Yes, it's when you turn your lips up instead of down. It's generally considered an indication of happiness."

He rolled his eyes. "Why exactly would I smile?"

"Birthdays are generally considered happy occasions," CJ said as he pulled the car to a stop.

"I'm happy for Serena. I'm not happy about the company."

CJ refused to admit that she too was not looking forward to this party. She still could not figure out what Josh had been thinking when he planned this party.

Toby rang the bell and after a few moments Serena's Nanny, Amy, answered the door, smiling. "Come on in." She took Serena's gift from CJ and set it on an already overloaded table. "They're out in the backyard."

CJ stopped by the French doors leading to the yard, smiling as she watched the scene outside. Serena skated around the perimeter of the patio on roller blades. She was slow but steady. Josh followed behind her, wobbling dangerously. Zoey stood to the side calling out instructions to her boyfriend while her mother sat beside her laughing. Even Josh's mother was smirking as she watched him.

"The objective," Toby said as he stepped outside, "Is to stay on your feet."

Josh shot Toby a dirty look as he stood up, after stumbling.

"Zoey got me these for my birthday," Serena informed CJ, skating over to her. "I got to have them early so I can use them while I wait for everyone to show up."

CJ bent down to hug Serena. "I can't believe that you're five already. You were so little when I met you."

Serena heaved a dramatically heavy sigh. "Not you too. Uncle Josh and Zoey have been remin... remin..." She looked up at Toby for help.

"Reminiscing."

"Reminiscing all morning," Serena finished.

CJ grinned. "I'll try to keep it to a minimum but no promises."

"There's the young lady," Leo said as he stepped into the yard. "How's it feel to be a whole year older?"

Serena giggled. "I'm really not a whole year older than I was; I was just a day younger yesterday."

"Oh, so it's not a big deal?" Josh asked, unbuckling his blades. "Then we can take all those presents back?" He glanced at Zoey. "You think we could get a full refund on most of it?"

Zoey pretended to consider it. "I think we could on some of it. I'm pretty sure the sporting goods store will take the blades back. We could tell them they don't fit or something."

Serena mock pouted. "Uh uh. They're mine."

"If you're sure..."

She nodded emphatically. "I am."

"Good morning everyone."

Josh glanced at the door and forced his smile to stay in place. He had invited her, he reminded himself. It was his idea to get her involved, not hers, although she'd jumped at this chance when he offered it. "Hello Alana."

"Grandma," Serena said cheerfully. "Look what Zoey got me." Serena skated closer and gave her grandmother a brief hug before backing away.

Alana took in the rollerblades as her granddaughter backed up after mere seconds in her arms. "They're very nice."

Serena turned away, her attention already drawn elsewhere and Alana stood where she was, looking around awkwardly. It had been a while since she'd been in the presence of this group and she'd never been comfortable around them. She'd never felt welcomed or accepted when she was among them and today even more so. She half expected the Secret Service Agents stationed around the yard to drag her away, telling her that her invitation had been a mistake. She wasn't welcome around here.

"Is this everyone?" she asked a bit hesitantly, in an effort to make small talk to cover the uncomfortable silence.

"We're still expecting a few more people," Clara said in a polite tone.

She shouldn't have come, Alana thought as silence again took over. She should have known that this was a bad idea. She'd never fit in with this group. Even when it was their idea that she be around, on their terms, they couldn't accept her.

When she'd first received the invitation, she'd thought that it was a cruel joke. She'd wondered who had orchestrated it. Josh, Zoey, CJ? But then, she opened the invitation and read the small personal note added near the bottom. Josh had simply written that Serena would like it if she'd join them and that if she'd like to, she should call him. The next day she'd called him at the White House and to her surprise been patched right through.

As he'd laid out the conditions, she'd wanted nothing more than to tell him that she'd agree to almost anything. She'd missed that little girl more than she'd thought possible. But she hadn't wanted him to know just how eager she was so she'd held her excitement at bay, listening to his words quietly.

"Alana." She looked up at Zoey who was giving her a tiny smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. At least Zoey had decided to try.

"Why don't you sit down."

Alana returned the young woman's smile as she took a seat. She'd been a bit surprised when she'd heard about Josh and Zoey's relationship on the news. Yes, her lawyer had questioned Zoey about a relationship but that had just been to cast shadows over Josh's character in the judge's mind. She hadn't actually thought that there was anything to that speculation. She hadn't thought that Josh would risk a relationship with his boss' daughter even if there was an attraction between them. Apparently, she'd been wrong.

She sat silently for several minutes, watching Serena skate. The child wore more safety equipment than she'd thought possible. Not only did Serena have on a helmet but also wrist guards and elbow pads. She even had kneepads and shin guards on over her blue jeans, Alana thought in amusement.

Alana glanced at Josh and saw that he was watching Serena intently, a smile on his face. Serena wobbled a bit and Josh tensed but he relaxed when she regained her balance. Zoey sat next to Josh and his hand rested on her knee.

Was this silence as uncomfortable for the others as it was for her? She wondered. If so, why had they invited her? Maybe their silence was meant to put her off guard, give them the upper hand.

The silence continued as they all sat watching Serena play, broken only when someone new arrived. Before long, Sam's sister Patty and her husband had joined them as had Will and Elsie.

Serena skated up and took the chair next to Josh. She leaned over, unbuckling her blades. "When do I get my presents?"

"You can open them after dinner Miss Impatient," Zoey answered.

"Do I have to wait?"

"Yes," Josh answered, smiling as Serena gave a mock pout.

"Than can you start the burgers now?"

Josh chuckled. "Sure."

"I'll help," Toby offered as he stood.

Josh waved him off. "I've got it."

CJ glared at him. "We don't want choke on your charred burgers. Let Toby help."

Josh shrugged. "Okay." The two men headed across the yard to the grill.

"You know," Abbey mused, "Josh is actually right. It is better to eat meat burned than to eat it barely cooked like some of you do." She looked pointedly at CJ.

"Hey." CJ protested. "I have taste."

"Unhealthy taste."

Leo groaned good-naturedly. "Please don't be a doctor today. We were all hoping to have fun."

Abbey glared at him. "I'm not fun?"

"Not in doctor mode."

"I like Mom in doctor mode." At her mother's approving look, Zoey went on. "It beats mom mode."

Everyone but Abbey laughed.

At the grill, Josh flipped one of the burgers. He could remember the last time they'd been here like this as if it was yesterday. Sam had still been alive and was in town for a few days and invited them all over for a barbecue. The guests at that barbecue were almost the exact same group that was here today with the exception of Alana.

He'd had gatherings since he moved in but he'd subconsciously avoided barbecues until now. If Serena hadn't suggested it, he probably wouldn't even be doing one now.

Most of the time he was able to keep Sam and Donna pushed to the edges of his mind. They were both gone. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew that Donna was for all intents and purposes as dead as her husband was. But some of the time, like today, Donna would push her way to the forefront of his mind.

On days like today there was little that he could do to get rid of the memories that tried to bombard him. He'd spent hours trying to figure out why that was. Why did she still have such a hold on him?

He had loved her. He'd loved her almost from the beginning. Even when he'd first met her he'd known that if he wasn't careful his lust for her could grow into something more.

After her marriage to Sam, he'd known that there couldn't be anything besides friendship between them, ever. Yet he'd still secretly wondered what would happen if Sam were in a car crash or something. Somehow, he'd never considered that Sam and Donna would both be in an accident. That even with Sam gone he wouldn't have a chance with Donna. He'd never considered that he'd end up raising their daughter.

Now, he'd occasionally wonder what would happen if Donna woke up from her coma. Realistically he knew that that wasn't going to happen yet he couldn't stop hoping for a miracle. And if Donna somehow did wake up, what would he do? He'd have to choose between Zoey and Donna, at least in his own mind and heart.

He'd loved Donna, in some ways he still did love her. But he also loved Zoey, was in love with Zoey. Donna was his past. Zoey was his future.

"Josh?"

Josh shook his thoughts away, turning to Toby. "Yeah?"

Toby gestured to the grill. "They're done."

"Yeah." Josh started heaping the burgers onto the platter so that he could carry them over to the picnic table. When he'd finished, he glanced over at the others. "Dinner's ready," he called.

-----------------

"I'm proud of you," Zoey said softly. She quietly closed the sliding doors of the family room behind them, glad that the last of the guests were finally gone and they could relax. "You did so well with Alana today."

"I didn't have much of a choice." He sank down onto the sofa and Zoey took the seat next to him. "Serena wanted to see her grandmother. I couldn't allow it to happen unsupervised no matter how much I disliked having to be pleasant to Alana."

Zoey grinned. "Serena had a lot of fun today. The party was all that she could talk about while I bathed her this evening." She sobered a bit. "What are you going to do now?"

Josh sighed. He really hadn't thought much about that. Some part of him had insisted that today wouldn't go well and he wouldn't have to make any further moves. Alana could fade quietly away again and Serena wouldn't ask about her again, her curiosity would be soothed. But today Alana had behaved herself, hadn't tried to cause trouble like she usually did. "I made it clear to Alana that today was a one time thing. I'm not going to get a regular visitation schedule started. I don't think that it would be good for Serena for that to start up again."

"I don't think so either. But she did enjoy today's visit."

He stood up, paced across the room. "I could include Alana in Serena's life like I do my mother and Patty. Invite her over on birthdays and such and allow occasional phone calls. But I really don't want to spend more time with Alana." He grimaced at the thought.

Zoey moved to stand behind him, laying her hand on his shoulder. "I know," she said softly. "But regardless, you're going to make the decision that you think is best for Serena."

At her words, Josh turned around to face her. He ran his thumb down her cheek. "We're going to do what we think is best for Serena," he corrected softly.

Zoey stared up at him, something in his tone stopping her from responding.

He chuckled. "You know, I had this planned. I chose the ring, made reservations at a restaurant. Every tiny detail was planned out. I wanted this to be perfect. Yet this is how I do it."

Zoey ran her tongue out over her lip, staring up at him through wide eyes. "I... are you...?"

Josh reached out, wrapping his arm around her back and pulling her closer. "I'm asking you to marry me," he whispered.

His lips descended toward hers slowly and she held her breath, waiting. He swept the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip and her mouth opened beneath him.

The kiss grew more fevered and Zoey moved her hand up his back, feeling the muscles there beneath his shirt. She pushed her hand under the hem, desperately needing to feel his skin.

Josh finally pulled back a fraction of an inch, running his thumb over Zoey's damp lip. "You never answered me."

She grinned. "You gave me plenty of chance to answer you didn't you?" Her fingers danced up and down his spine. Her fingers inched down toward his waistband, circling around until they reached the snap of his jeans.

"Zoey."

"Mmm?" She leaned forward to reclaim his lips as her fingers played with the snap of his jeans.

Josh pulled his mouth back, trying again. "Zo, baby." He drew out a ragged, shaky breath as she slowly, teasingly, lowered the zipper.

Zoey bit down on her lip as Josh's hand caught in her hair, gently pulling her up to meet his eyes.

"I take this as a yes?" He asked through a smirk.

She averted her eyes, using her hand, which lay against his thigh, to divert his attention again.

Josh stiffened, his hand capturing hers and holding it still. "Talk to me Zoey," he begged.

Tears were stinging her eyes and she didn't know if she could meet his gaze, look at him as she gave him her answer. But what choice did she have? Her parents hadn't raised her to be cowardly. She slowly raised her face up and looked deep into his eyes. "I don't know if I can Josh."

"Can what?" He asked, hoping he'd misunderstood, knowing that he hadn't.

She backed up. "I can't... I need to think about it." She watched the shock transform his face and the pain fill his eyes. More tears flooded her eyes and she quickly turned, unwilling to let him see her cry. "I'll call you in the morning," she whispered.

When she stepped out into the hall, her agents wordlessly fell into step behind her. She knew that Gina had questions, could see them on the agent's face but Gina said nothing.

In the backseat of the car, she finally let her tears fall freely. They ran down her face, soaking her cheeks in seconds. For once, she was glad that she still lived in the Residence, that she hadn't moved in with Josh.

How had she allowed this to happen? Allowed all of this pain to happen? Josh was hurting as much as she was she knew, and tomorrow when she wasn't there when Serena woke up, the child would be crushed. She'd promised to help Serena make chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast the next day. Without meaning to, without thinking about it, she'd managed to hurt the two people who meant everything to her.

She shouldn't have reacted like that to Josh's proposal. But he had caught her off guard and she wasn't able to think it through rationally.

She'd seen Josh lying in a hospital bed, unconscious with machines all around him. He had been ashen and so still as she gazed down at him, wondering if he was going to make it, praying that he would. She faced the reminder of Rosslyn on a daily basis. She'd never forget the first time that she'd seen Josh's scar.

Zoey inched Josh's shirt up, more nervous than she had ever been. She wasn't nervous about making love with Josh for the first time. She'd been ready for that since their first kiss.

The shirt cleared Josh's head and dropped from her numb fingers. Her eyes riveted to his chest, her hand slowly reached out. The scar ran over the left side of his chest, directly over his heart. God, it almost made her physically sick to think that she had almost lost him that night, before she had even had him.

Josh ran his tongue over his dry lips as he watched Zoey reach out. Gently, her hand pressed against his chest, felt his rough scar.

Zoey pressed her palm against his chest, ever so gently at first but with added pressure. Her eyes fell closed as she felt his heart beat against her hand, a reassurance. She hadn't lost him. She'd never lose him. She didn't think that she could bear it if she did. A tear slipped from beneath one of her lashes as she slowly reopened her eyes.

She drew her hand back and ran a finger down his scar, her touch feather light. Tears slipped from her eyes, falling freely down her face. "I'm so sorry," she whispered brokenly.

Josh brought his hand up and gently cupped her chin, tilting it so that she was looking at him. The raw pain in her eyes almost broke his heart. "It wasn't your fault Zo," he said softly, fighting back his own tears.

"If I hadn't been..."

"It wasn't your fault," he said with more force this time. He gestured vaguely to the scar with his free hand. "This happened because of a hate filled group of people. It had nothing to do with you or Charlie, just your skin colors." He gently wiped a tear away with his thumb. "You didn't do this to me," he whispered, pressing a light kiss to her lips.

Her tears still flowing, Zoey nodded.

His hand in her hair, Josh gently pulled her forward. Her head rested against his chest as her crying lessened but didn't cease altogether.

Every time she saw the scar, felt it against her skin, she was reminded of that night years before. She'd never forget that night - no matter how hard she tried. Like it or not, it would always be with her, surfacing at times like this to haunt her with her worst fears.

Rosslyn happened because she was dating Charlie. Josh was right; those people hadn't cared about her and Charlie. They knew nothing about her, Charlie or their relationship. All that they'd cared about was their skin colors.

She knew that since he'd come to work for her father Josh had gotten racial hate letters. She also knew that the amount of letters that he received had multiplied after he began dating her. She didn't think that she could bear it if she caused something like Rosslyn to happen again.

Pure hate existed and their marriage would cause some of it to be directed at them, at those they cared about. She longed to go back to the innocence and naivete that she had experienced before Rosslyn. But that was impossible.

"Zoey."

She looked up to see Gina peering at her, a concerned expression on the older woman's face. She forced a weak smile. "Yes?"

"We're here."

"Oh." Zoey took a deep breath and wiped at her face, trying in vain to get rid of the evidence of her distress.

She made her way through the Residence slowly and quietly. If she could just make it to her bedroom...

"Zoey? I didn't expect to see you this evening."

Zoey turned at her mother's surprised voice. She felt a headache begin to pound at her temples and resisted the urge to rub at her head. "Hi Mom."

Abbey took in her daughter's pale tear streaked face and disheveled hair. She could hear fatigue and weariness in her daughter's voice. "Zoey, honey, what's wrong?"

Her mother took several steps closer and Zoey stepped back. "I can't Mama," she whispered. "I just can't."

"Can't what?" Abbey asked soothingly.

"I can't talk about it, not right now."

Her first instinct was to argue, to insist that Zoey tell her what was wrong. To pull Zoey into her arms and stroke her daughter's hair while Zoey sobbed it all out. Instead, she nodded. "Okay honey. I'll be here when you're ready to talk."

Zoey managed a weak smile for her mother before fleeing to her bedroom. She gently closed the door behind her and slid the lock into place before falling onto her bed and allowing the tears to fall.

--------------

Josh stood staring at the door for several minutes, stunned. Other emotions started coursing through his body, each vying for precedence.

What the hell had just happened? He didn't know if he should be hurt or angry. He'd thought everything was going well until he'd realized that she was simply misdirecting him, that she really didn't want to have to give him an answer.

He refastened his pants and stepped out into the hallway, locking the door and setting the alarm before going upstairs.

He tried to remember every second of the day, of the week. Then he went farther back. He came up blank as to what had caused Zoey to react like that.

He sunk down onto his bed, picturing Zoey's face, before she'd turned away from him. She'd been so pale, her eyes wide and full of unshed tears. She'd gathered her bottom lip between her teeth, biting down so hard that he'd been afraid that her lip was going to start bleeding.

His anger faded away, replaced by a longing to find Zoey, to comfort her, to find out what was wrong. He was pretty sure that she'd gone to the White House. He could leave Serena in Amy's care and go over there.

He ran his hand through his hair. The President and First Lady probably wouldn't even let him into the Residence. They were probably seething, thinking that he'd caused whatever was wrong with Zoey. Maybe he had. He wished he knew what he'd done so that he could fix it.

Even if the President would let him in, Zoey wouldn't talk to him. She'd said that she'd call in the morning. He had to wait for her call, wait for her to make the next move. He hated doing that in his career and he hated it even more in his personal life.

He turned the light off and lay on his bed, knowing that sleep wouldn't come easily tonight. If Zoey didn't call him the next morning, he'd go over to the White House. He'd find a way to make her talk to him, open up to him. He had to.

--------------

Zoey studied herself in the mirror. Her eyes were swollen from her sobfest the night before. Her face was blotchy despite the cold water she'd splashed it with. Even with the makeup that she'd applied, the fact that she'd spent hours crying was painfully obvious.

She filled a cup with water and took an Advil from the medicine cabinet above the sink. She swallowed the pill, hoping it would help get rid of the persistent headache that she'd had since the night before.

She really wasn't looking forward to leaving this room. While she was locked in here, no one was going to bother her. As soon as she stepped out, her parents were going to want an explanation. She didn't blame them but she really didn't feel like discussing it with them, explaining it to them. Not yet.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, she gingerly picked up the phone, wondering what kind of reception she was going to get. She wouldn't blame Josh if he were pissed at her. He answered the phone on the first ring, anxiousness present in his voice.

"Is Serena up yet?" A glance at the clock pretty much answered her question.

"No. It'll probably be at least an hour before she's up."

"Would you mind if I come over?" she asked a bit hesitantly.

"Of course not," Josh answered immediately.

"I'll be there in a half-hour." She hung up, pretty sure that this was the shortest phone conversation that they'd ever had.

She grabbed her purse and took a deep breath before stepping out into the hall. Hesitantly, she started toward the closest exit. The last thing she wanted was to run into either of her parents. She knew that after last night, she'd have to talk to them, but she'd rather wait until later, until after she'd spoken to Josh.

She didn't relax until she was safely in her car and off of the White House grounds. Hopefully, her parents didn't even realize that she was up yet.

At Josh's, she hesitated outside the door. Uncertainly she knocked once, then twice. This was the first time in months that she hadn't simply let herself in with her key.

Josh answered the door and gestured her into the living room. He looked as exhausted as she felt and for about the millionth time, she felt incredibly guilty for what she'd put him through the night before.

Zoey sat on the sofa and Josh took the chair across from her. He watched her as she shifted, looking very uncertain as to how to begin this conversation. He wanted nothing more than to move closer to her, touch her. "I missed you," he said before he could stop himself.

Her eyes widened at his words. "I missed you too," she admitted softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to react like that last night. It just... happened."

"If it's too soon, if you want to wait..."

"No," she interrupted. "That has nothing to do with it." At his confused look, she went on. "I love you Josh, more than I ever thought that I could. Last night, I just got scared."

"Of what?"

She stood up and crossed the room to stare out the window. "The first image that popped into my mind was you. You were in your hospital bed after Rosslyn and you were so... lifeless, surrounded by all sorts of scary machines. I could actually hear the gunshots ringing in my head." She turned back around, tears streaming down her face. "You could have died that night Josh, you almost died."

Josh crossed the room to her and gently wiped a tear from her cheek. "But I didn't."

"It could happen again," she whispered. "Our marriage could cause it to happen again."

"Baby, anything could cause it to happen again. Some terrorist cell could attack us without reason or some radical right-wing group could detest one of your father's policy decisions enough to shoot at him. You could be in a car accident tomorrow or I could have a stroke. There aren't any guarantees Zo, but it isn't likely that those things will happen."

She nodded through her tears. "I thought about it last night. It was all that I could think about. I'm not willing to let what ifs run my life, dictate what I do."

Josh cupped her face in his hand, tilting it up so that she was looking into his eyes. "Does that include not letting hate filled people keep you from spending your life with the man you love?"

"Yes. If you still want to marry me," she added quietly.

He leaned in closer to her face, his hand gently caressing her cheek. "I love you Zoey. Last night changed nothing." His lips caught hers in a soft, sweet kiss.

Finally, he pulled back, grinning. "I'll be right back."

Zoey nodded, watching curiously as he walked away, headed toward the stairs. Inside her, her emotions were churning wildly. There were so many emotions just under the surface ready to bubble up and out of control. She wasn't quite sure if she wanted to laugh or cry or maybe both.

Josh returned a few minutes after he left, grinning even wider than he had been. He dropped to his knee in front of Zoey, holding out a velvet box that she hadn't previously noticed. "Zoey Bartlett will you marry me?"

Zoey ran the tip of her tongue out over her lip. Her eyes were locked on his as she answered softly, "Yes."

Josh stood back up, gently taking her hand and slipping the ring onto her finger before leaning in for another kiss.

"Get a room."

Josh's head snapped up. He focused on the little girl standing in the doorway, a smirk on her face. "Serena."

"What?" The smirk was instantly gone, replaced by an innocent expression.

"Where did you hear that phrase?" Zoey asked.

"Uncle Toby and Aunt CJ took me to the park and these teenagers were sitting on a bench kissing. Uncle Toby said that they should get a room and Aunt CJ hit him and said he shouldn't talk like that in front of me."

"And you're repeating a phrase that you know that you aren't supposed to know, because?"

Serena shrugged in response.

"There you are Miss Serena," Amy said as she came down the stairs. "Let's go, you need to change out of your pajamas."

"We'll take care of it Amy," Josh said. "Why don't you take the day off? Zoey and I would like to spend the day with Serena."

"Sure," Amy said cheerfully.

Twenty minutes later Zoey was in the kitchen making pancakes. Josh had taken Serena upstairs to change her clothes and do her hair.

When Josh and Zoey stepped into the kitchen, Zoey was setting a platter of pancakes onto the table along with syrup and fresh fruit.

Josh glanced at Serena as he cut her pancake for her. "Angel, Zoey and I would like to talk to you about something."

Serena shrugged. "Sure." She accepted her food back and took a bite.

Josh took a bite of his breakfast, glancing at Zoey. He looked back at Serena. "What would you think about Zoey being around more?"

"She's already here a lot," Serena pointed out.

"Yes, I am," Zoey agreed. "What if I was here even more? Would that upset you?"

Serena shook her head. "No."

"Would you mind if Zoey moved in here with us?"

Serena looked between them. "Zoey's moving in? Cool."

Josh smiled. "I proposed to Zoey this morning."

"Does that mean that you asked her to marry you?"

"Yes."

Serena looked at Zoey. "Did you say yes?"

"Yes, I did."

Serena nodded her head, a smile beginning to show on her face. "Zoey's gonna be part of our family now?"

"Yes."

"Cool. Am I going to be at the wedding? Can I be the flower girl?"

Zoey laughed. "Hold on Sweetie. We haven't had a chance to talk about the wedding yet."

"Oh. But you will soon, right?"

Josh chuckled. "Yeah, we will."

Serena turned back to her food, chattering about the wedding between bites.

--------------

Abbey hung up the phone and turned to her husband who sat in an armchair reading. "Zoey and Josh are on their way over here."

The President laid aside the papers that he had been looking through. "Did Zoey sound better than she did last night?"

"Much better. Livelier, happier, much more like our Zoey usually is." She sat down across from him. "Last night... she was like a different person. When she spoke, she sounded weary and almost weak. She looked like she was going to burst into tears at any time. Earlier yesterday afternoon she was completely fine."

"Something must have happened between the time you left Josh's house yesterday and Zoey's arrival here last night."

Abbey nodded her agreement. "I just have to wonder what it was because she seems to have gotten over it pretty fast."

"I'd like to know what they are wanting to discuss with us," Jed said.

"Yes."

"Mom, Dad." Zoey stepped into the room, smiling cheerfully. If she acted cheerful and happy enough, maybe her parents wouldn't question her about the night before. The chances of that were close to zero she knew but she could still hold on to hope.

"Zoey," Abbey said as her daughter kissed her cheek. She looked over at Josh. "Hello Josh."

"Hello Ma'am. Sir."

"Josh," the President greeted.

After the two were seated, Abbey turned to her daughter. "Are you feeling better than you were yesterday evening Zoey?"

Zoey smiled. "Much better." She linked her hand with Josh's hand.

Abbey's eyes were drawn to the diamond ring on her daughter's finger. She sat staring at it for several seconds silently.

Zoey's smile turned to a grin. "Josh and I had something that we wanted to share with you."

Jed glanced at the ring before meeting his daughter's eyes. "Am I safe to assume that we can probably guess what you came to tell us?"

"Josh asked me to marry him and I agreed."

"Zoey, honey are you sure?"

"Yes Mother, I am." She softened her tone. "I love him Mom."

Abbey studied her daughter's face, looking deep into Zoey's eyes. She nodded her head, she could see it. She turned her attention to Josh who sat beside her daughter, still holding her hand in his. Josh met her gaze evenly. After a few moments, she sighed. "Congratulations."

Zoey glanced at Josh, her eyes shining. When he'd expressed his doubts as to what her parents' reactions were going to be, she'd told him that they'd both support them, even though they probably wouldn't want to. They wanted her happy and Josh made her happy.

Josh returned her smile, leaning down to press a quick kiss to her lips. He turned back to Abbey. "Thank you Ma'am."

"I'm curious about something."

All three of the rooms other occupants turned to the President, who had been observing them all quietly.

"Zoey, if you and Josh are both so happy this evening, why did you come here in tears last night?"

She had to make an effort not to squirm under her father's gaze. She didn't know quite what to say, how to make her parents understand the feelings that she'd had the night before. "Josh actually proposed last night. I came over here because I needed to think."

"Think?" Abbey prompted.

Josh stroked his thumb over Zoey's knuckles soothingly.

"Rosslyn happened because I was dating Charlie."

"No," Jed interrupted. "Rosslyn happened because a bunch of racist kids got together and decided to shoot at us. It was neither yours nor Charlie's fault."

"Fine. But when Josh asked me to marry him I couldn't help but think that a similar group could decide to target us. I was scared." She took a deep breath. "Last night while I was here I called Ellie. She told me that I can't let these people control me or my actions. That I can't let them keep me from spending my life with the man I love and she was right."

"Yes, she was," Abbey said. She blinked back the moisture building in her eyes. She'd always felt that she was close to all three of her daughters but apparently she wasn't close enough to Zoey. She'd had no idea that Zoey felt like this. That the hurt and guilt from Rosslyn were still so sharp within Zoey.

Jed studied Josh and Zoey. He hadn't approved of their relationship when it first began and he still didn't approve completely. He'd known for a while now that this was inevitable though. He'd been expecting this for a few months.

All that he really wanted for his daughters was their happiness. That was all that he'd ever wanted for them. Josh made Zoey happy, it was clear from the light in Zoey's eyes when she looked at him, from the expression on her face when he spoke to her.

He extended his hand to Josh. "Welcome to the family."

---------------


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Characters recognized from the West Wing do not belong to me.

Author's Notes: It's taken me years but this story is finally finished. I'm not sure about the series yet. I envision one more story in this series but I have a few other unfinished stories I'm trying to complete and very little time. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story / series through the sporadic updates!

Thanks to Jen B for beta reading this chapter for me!

*************

"You're engaged," CJ repeated slowly.

"Yes."

"To the President's daughter."

Josh ran his hand through his hair. "CJ, Zoey and I have been together for close to a year. How can this come as a surprise?"

"It really doesn't. I was just clarifying. Most of us have been expecting this for a while."

Josh chuckled. "That's what my sources tell me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Your sources?"

"Mostly Serena. Why is it that people seem to think that because she is short, her hearing must suck? You wouldn't believe the things people say around her."

"Oh I wouldn't? Do you think you are the only one she does the parrot imitation for?"

"Ah." He sighed. "Zoey and I told her about the engagement yesterday. I guess I should probably sit her down and remind her that when the public finds out people are going to be curious and that she shouldn't answer any questions."

"That would probably be wise. Have you and Zoey discussed the wedding at all?"

"We're thinking a small wedding, or at least as small as we really can make it considering, maybe at the farm."

"Have you considered a date?"

"Sometime in the next few months."

"That soon?"

"There really isn't any reason to wait. All we'd accomplish would be giving the press longer to speculate and formulate a plan to sneak into the ceremony."

CJ nodded, picking up a pencil and absently twirling it between her fingers. "Thus far the only people you've told are the President and First Lady, Serena and her nanny, and myself?"

"Yes and Zoey's been removing her ring when she isn't at my house to keep people from suspecting."

"Have you and Zoey considered when you'd like to make the information public and how?"

"We've discussed it but haven't come to a decision. Zoey's calling her sisters now and is going to talk to Charlie later today. I need to let my mother, Leo, and Toby in on it. We also should probably tell Kate and Jonathon Moss and Sam's sister Patty before the engagement is announced. They have a right to be some of the first to know anything that has a direct bearing on Serena's future."

CJ blanched as a thought came to her. "Alana Farrel?"

"Alana lost her right to have a major role in Serena's life at Christmas. Inviting her to join us for Serena's birthday was just that; an invitation to the party, a one time thing. She'll find out about my engagement with the rest of America." Josh glanced at his watch and stood. "I've got an appointment with Leo. I'll talk some more with Zoey and let you know what we decide about the press."

She nodded as she stood up to round her desk and pull him into a hug. "Congratulations Mi Amore. I'm very happy for both you and Zoey." She chuckled. "And of course our little Serena. She'll finally have a mother again. I'm sure she's ecstatic."

"She is," he said with a smile, pulling back from the hug. "Thanks Ceej."

***************

Josh closed the file he and Leo had been going over. "Before I go, do you have a few minutes to talk?"

"Sure." Leo gestured to the sofa. "What's up?" he asked after they were both reseated.

"You knew that Zoey and I had been getting pretty serious?"

"Yes." Leo frowned. Had been? Josh hadn't screwed everything up with some silly mistake had he? "Josh if you're here for advice to help fix something with Zoey, I'm really not the one to come to. You know the mistakes I made in my marriage."

Josh laughed. "I didn't come to you for advice, though I might some time later on." He held up a hand when Leo started to speak again. "No. I know that your marriage ended badly and I know that a lot of it was your fault. I also know that you aren't the man that you were then. You fought your addictions and won and you've built a wonderful relationship with your daughter with all the odds against it happening. You and President Bartlet are the two men I admire the most in this world.

I don't know what I would have done without the two of you the last couple of years. You've been there anytime I've had a question or worry about Serena and have given me invaluable insight and advice. I know that in the future I'll be coming to you for marital advice as well and I know that what you tell me will be just as valuable to me."

"Josh," Leo said softly. "I'm honored to know that you feel that way. With all of the things that I've done I don't deserve to be admired that much but I'm honored all the same. You have done an amazing job with Serena. She was little more than a baby when you got her and you've helped her mature into an intelligent, well mannered, sweet little girl. I'm pleased to know that I've been able to contribute just a little to that process."

When Josh started to argue Leo shook his head. "No. You spoke, now it's my turn. I contributed, but it was to your project. If you had had to raise Serena without help you would have done just as wonderful a job. The biggest thing I did was to help you build up your confidence in your parenting skills."

Josh swallowed hard. "Thank you. Knowing that you think I'm doing a good job with that little girl means more than I can say. When my father died, I thought I'd miss this; having someone to talk to about parenting, to get advice on relationships from, someone to kick me in the rear when I needed it. That's why I asked to talk to you today. I wanted you to be one of the first to know that Zoey and I are engaged."

"Wow. Joshua, that's great." He engulfed the younger man in a quick hug. "A year ago I would have had my reservations but watching the two of you, well, really, the three of you together for the last several months has convinced me. Be happy Josh."

"Thank you," he said again, very softly. "I was wondering if you'd be willing to be my best man."

It was Leo's turn to swallow the lump in his throat. "I was only lucky enough to have one child and I love Mal but I always wanted a son as well. For the last several years you've filled that role for me. It would be my privilege to stand up for you." He patted Josh's shoulder.

"Thank you." He chuckled. "I'm starting to sound like a CD on repeat."

"Now, my next appointment should be arriving any minute so it's back to work for you, you bum." He patted his shoulder again. "Congratulations."

Josh nodded. "I'll let you know more soon."

************

Later that evening Josh let himself into his house, smiling at the giggles and squeals coming from upstairs. He mounted the steps as quietly as possible and followed the sounded to Serena's bathroom. He leaned against the doorframe, grinning.

Zoey was perched on a stool next to the tub, drawing intricate designs on Serena's arms with crayon soap. She'd lean over the edge of the tub every little bit to tickle Serena's stomach and the child would squeal with delight.

After several more minutes, Zoey set the crayons on their tray. "Okay munchkin, rinse off."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes. Uncle Josh should be home soon and it's almost your bedtime."

"Just five more minutes, please? Then I promise I'll get ready for bed."

Zoey smiled as she grabbed a towel. "Nice try. Now, out."

Serena pouted for a few seconds before splashing the soap off and stepping out of the tub. "Will you braid my hair so it will be curly tomorrow?"

"Sure."

"Cool."

Josh had retreated into Serena's bedroom to wait. He was sitting on her bed petting Tuft when Serena skipped into the room in penguin print pajamas, wet hair flying behind her. She jumped up onto the bed. "Hi Uncle Josh."

"Hi Angel. Did you have a good afternoon?"

"Uh huh. Amy took me to the park when we left the White House then we came home and played the memory game and drew pictures and played Barbie. Then Zoey came and I got to make dinner with her. We made spaghetti."

Josh held back a chuckle as he tried to follow the rush of words. "It sounds like you had fun." He stood up as Zoey came in from the bathroom. She dropped the comb, brush, and hair bands she was carrying onto the bed and moved into Josh's arms. Mindful of the five-year-old a few feet away, Josh kept the kiss light and quick.

Zoey sat down on the bed and motioned for Serena to sit between her legs. "How did your day go?"

"It was a good day. I spoke with CJ, Leo, Toby, and my mother about the wedding. Everyone was thrilled though they're all clamoring for a wedding date."

Serena scrunched her face up at the unfamiliar word. "What does that mean?"

"They all really want us to choose a day for the wedding. They're being loud and insistent about it," Zoey answered.

"CJ wants to sit down to discuss informing the press before it somehow leaks."

"Just let me know when. I called my sisters today. They both agreed to be part of the wedding party as did Annie and Gus. None of them were really surprised about the news." She paused, deftly plaiting Serena's hair as she formulated her thoughts. "I also went to see Charlie. He didn't react as well."

"I wasn't expecting that he'd love the idea." He could remember his own reaction to Donna and Sam's engagement a few years before. His emotions had been torn. There'd been excitement for his two best friends because they'd found happiness but there had also been jealousy. He'd been angry at himself for not going after Donna before it was too late to do so and at Sam for having courage to do what he'd been too chicken to do.

He imagined that Charlie was feeling much the same. From the beginning Charlie had tolerated their relationship because he hadn't had a choice but it had been clear that he'd been hoping that it wouldn't work out and he'd get another chance with Zoey. Now they'd shattered that delusion. Charlie was probably going to have a rough time with that for a while. Josh could only hope that when the time was right the perfect woman would become clear to Charlie as Josh's had him.

"Are you still going to ask Charlie to be a groom's man?"

"Yes. He doesn't have to accept but I want to make the gesture. Leo agreed to be best man and Toby to be a groom's man."

"All done."

"Thank you." Serena jumped up and ran to the mirror.

"How bad was the scene with Charlie?" Josh asked quietly.

"Pretty bad. He's very angry and hurt. I knew he had never really accepted our relationship but for months now we've been getting the knowing looks and sly comments from everyone. I figured if even my father had figured out that us becoming engaged was inevitable that Charlie would have also. Apparently he hadn't."

"I'm sorry. I should have gone with you to tell him."

"No. You had no idea he'd be this upset, besides your presence might have made it worse. I think it might be best to give him a cool down period, maybe wait a few weeks before asking him to be in the wedding."

"Yeah, I'll do that."

"Are you ready to tuck me in and read me my story?" Serena asked, holding up the book they were currently reading, _The Secret Garden_.

Josh took the book as he and Zoey stood up, waiting for Serena to climb into bed. They each kissed the child's forehead and said goodnight before Zoey crossed the room to curl up in the window seat while Josh read.

**************

CJ made a show of flipping through her notes for a few seconds before raising her eyes to look out at the press scattered around the briefing room. "I have one more item to share with you." She scanned their faces again. None of them seemed to have a clue what she was about to announce. Some of them even seemed a bit bored. Thus far today had been a pretty slow news day. She hadn't had anything remotely interesting. Now she could see the atmosphere of the room start to change. By her pause they were assuming she had something good.

"Let the games begin," Josh said from his seat in the Residence.

"I almost wish we'd waited for a day, we could try to bury this beneath big stories," Zoey said.

"I doubt it would have worked," Abbey said. "Whatever stories you were trying to use as deflectors would have all but died under the pressure. Like it or not, the media has been enthralled with your relationship from the beginning and it's about to get worse."

"The White House is pleased to announce the engagement of Zoey Bartlet to Joshua Lyman."

The press room erupted in questions and most of the people scattered around the living room in the Residence started laughing at the chaos.

"Even CJ couldn't understand their questions well enough to answer," Toby commented, watching his fiancée try to reign in the press corps.

Serena stared at the screen in wonder. "I'd be on time out if I acted like that."

Josh bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at his little girl's tone. "You would."

Finally the reporters were calming enough that some of the shouted questions could be understood.

"When did they become engaged?"

"How did Josh propose?"

"When is the wedding?"

"Will it be held in the Rose Garden?"

"Is the President happy with the situation?"

"What about Serena? How does she feel about this? Could this cause custody concerns?"

"When did the Senior Staff find out CJ? What were your reactions?"

CJ held up both hands. "Enough!"

Silence settled over the room.

"The Bartletts and Mrs. Lyman all know about the engagement and are very happy for Josh and Zoey, as are the Senior Staff. That's all the information I have for you at this time."

"You don't have the wedding date?" Danny called.

"No details have been finalized at this time. You'll all be kept informed as plans progress." With that she stepped from the podium and quickly made her way out of the room, ignoring the shouted questions that followed her.

She hurried toward the Residence where Josh and Zoey were waiting with the President and First Lady, Serena, Leo, Toby, and Will. She'd managed to stick to the basic announcement that she, Zoey, and Josh had come up with together without revealing any other information.

Both Josh and Zoey wanted to keep the wedding as private as possible. She personally thought that they were dreaming. Now that news of the engagement was public the press would be digging for information. With caterers, bakeries, florists, etc. involved there were bound to be leaks. If they had really wanted to do this completely privately they would have had to elope.

Serena ran up to hug her when she walked into the room.

"What do you think? Did it go okay?"

"Yep," Serena answered. "You did really good. Some of the reporters don't have manners though. They were yelling and weren't taking turns talking."

CJ grinned, wishing she could share the child's thoughts at the next briefing.

"It went well," Leo said.

Toby nodded. "They were frenzied but we expected that. It'll be worse at your next briefing. They'll have had time to look through their files on Josh, Zoey, and Serena and to do some probing." He glanced at Josh. "The question about custody won't be the last of that line of speculation."

"Patti knows to be expecting calls from the media. She also promised to warn her kids not to answer any questions if they picked up the phone."

"And Alana?" Abbey asked.

"We didn't tell her," Zoey said. "There isn't much she can do, even if she wants to and we don't know that she does. She knows she wouldn't have a prayer of winning in court, not with her alcoholism and the adoption."

CJ took the empty seat next to Toby. She turned to Zoey. "I told the press you hadn't finalized a date but this morning Josh told me the two of you pretty much have it narrowed down. Care to share?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Zoey said with a grin. "You and Toby have been engaged for almost three years. When are you going to set a date?"

CJ rolled her eyes. "Like I've told you for years, when your father is out of office. Now, stop trying to divert attention and answer my question."

"So bossy," Zoey said, shaking her head. "We're thinking the Christmas holidays would be a good time. Everyone should be able to get time off to come and it gives me a built in theme to work with."

Abbey's eyes widened. "It's already the middle of October. That gives us about two months. That isn't very long to plan a wedding. We've got to get the invitations printed and mailed out and start looking into dresses for you and your attendants. About how many guests are we looking at? A thousand? Two?" She glanced at her husband who shrugged. "The international invitations will have to go out first then we'll…"

"Mom," Zoey broke in. "Josh and I want a simple wedding, just family and friends."

"There are people who will be expecting invitations," Leo said. "People who have supported us through two campaigns and nearly seven years in office, members of Congress who have helped us get some of the biggest items on our agenda passed, foreign dignitaries who's countries have been real allies to us. Not receiving an invitation will come as a slight to them."

"This is my wedding, not a state dinner or inaugural ball."

"We realize that honey," Jed said. "However, there are responsibilities that come with being a member of this family."

"You are a politician. I'm not."

"No you're not," he agreed. "But you're marrying one. Do you think this is going to be the last time that politics takes over your personal life? In a few years your husband will be a senator or a governor and eventually you'll be back here with him. The press will be outside the hospital when your children are born and baby gifts will come from all over the world. Christenings, bar and bah mitzvahs, school plays, graduations, they'll all be crashed and the pictures will make it on the national news. There are things that are expected of political figures and their families Zoey, you know that."

"Yes, I know that. I've known it all my life. You forget that _my_ graduation from high school was crashed by the press and that tourists snuck onto the Georgetown campus hoping to get pictures and autographs. I want one thing, one day that is for me."

Josh lifted Zoey's hand, running his thumb over her palm in gentle circles. "This wedding is part of my personal life, not part of my career. Zoey and I will be making the guest list based on that. Anyone who doesn't like it or feels slighted can come talk to me."

"I can understand trying to keep the wedding as private as possible but…"

"No Leo, we aren't trying to do anything," Josh interrupted. "We _are_ keeping the wedding private." He turned to the President. "This is our wedding. It _will _go our way or it won't happen. We've discussed eloping but we want all of you to be involved. Don't push us."

President Bartlett and Leo shared a glance and silently agreed to back off for now. This wasn't over but for the time being the best option was to allow Josh some time to cool off.

"About how many guests were you thinking?" Abbey asked after a moment.

"We could do it with fewer than thirty," Josh said, holding up his hand when Abbey opened her mouth to argue. "However, that would be bare bones. We both have other friends that we'd like to invite and we know that the two of you have close friends who have been in Zoey's life since her childhood. We haven't finalized the list yet but we're thinking two hundred to two fifty guests, plus the wedding party. Zoey will have her sisters, Annie, CJ, and Mallory." He glanced around. "Where is CJ?"

"She took Serena down to check on the fish," Toby explained. "She asked me to tell you to come find them in the West Wing when things calmed down and you were ready."

Josh nodded, turning back to Abbey. "Leo, Toby, Will, Matt Skinner, and hopefully Charlie will be standing up with me. Gus will be ring bearer and Serena flower girl."

Jed chuckled. "Doug will love that. He's the only member of his family not in the wedding."

Zoey snorted. "You're the only member of the family he's ever cared for and that's only for what he thinks you can do for his career. He won't care that he's being left out of my wedding just that he's being left out of the spotlight." She sighed. "For Liz's sake he'll be included by name on her invitation." She turned back to her mother. "We'll sit down with you soon to go over the guest list."

"Good. Will the ceremony be held here at the White House?"

"No." She looked between her parents. "Actually, I was hoping you'd let us have it at the farm. When I was little and Ellie and Liz talked about the big fancy cathedral weddings they wanted, I would dream about an outdoor wedding at the farm." She grinned at her fiancée. "If I could just get Josh in the saddle we could be married on horseback."

"That's so not happening."

"Of course you can be married at the farm," Jed said. "It's your home and always will be. You can do whatever you wish there."

"Cool. I've got some new roller bladeing tricks I've been meaning to try." She laughed when her father went pale.

Josh shook his head. "I really don't want to know the kind of tricks you've done."

"No, you don't," Abbey agreed. She glared at her daughter. "Roller bladeing off the roof of the stable. I honestly would have thought you were an adolescent boy instead of an adolescent girl."

It was Josh's turn to pale. "Promise me you won't try anything like that again."

"I was twelve."

"Still, promise me."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine." She glanced at her father. "There are still other things I can do though."

"So, Manchester on…"

"December 23rd," Zoey answered.

"I'll talk to my assistant tomorrow and schedule some time. Were going to have a busy two months."

"Thanks Mom, but like I said, simple."

"I can do simple Zoey."

Josh glanced at the clock. "We probably should get Serena before CJ decides we've all killed each other."

Zoey stood to press a kiss to her father's cheek and hug her mother. "Thank you both. I love you."

"We love you too baby."

*************

Serena's nanny, Amy, waved at the security guard as she stepped inside the private school that Serena had started at this school year. She could hardly believe that the little girl was in kindergarten. Serena had been so teeny when she started working with her. Part of the child's size, of course, had been the cancer but part of it had been her age. The little one hadn't even been two.

For over three years she'd been with Serena. She'd spent hours sitting beside Serena's hospital bed reading to her to keep her quiet, had entertained Serena for hours during flights on Airforce One, had braided the child's hair, potty trained her, and fed her when she was too weak to feed herself. She'd been there through several custody battles, Sam's wedding and death, Josh learning to be a parent, and Josh and Zoey's relationship. In many ways she felt as if Serena were hers.

When Josh had asked to speak with her a few weeks ago she'd figured he wanted to discuss a change in Serena's routine, such as an international trip, or ask her opinion on how Serena was doing in her new school. She hadn't expected him to tell her that he and Zoey were engaged, though she really should have. Her first thought had been; what if they didn't need her anymore. To her relief Josh had assured her that he and Zoey very much wanted her to stay. He said they didn't know how they would do it without her, with their busy schedules they had to know they had someone they could trust implicitly with their little girl.

With the reassurance that she'd still be caring for Serena, Amy had been very happy for Josh and Zoey. And for Serena. She knew that her charge adored the First Daughter. She also knew how desperately the little girl wanted a mother. She'd seen the wistful looks on the child's face when a mother at the park hugged her child or a mother on television sang a lullaby. She also knew that a mommy had been at the top of the list she'd helped Serena mail to Santa Claus last Christmas, even before a pet.

Amy grinned. Serena had gotten everything she'd asked for, even the two top requests that Amy had cautioned her against wishing for too hard. She wondered what would be on the child's list this year. Maybe Amy should put the thought in the child's head to ask for something for her, like perhaps a certain guy, since Serena was so popular with Santa and his elves.

She reached the waiting area for the kindergarteners and leaned against the wall. She was early, but then, she always was. Soon other nannies and mothers would begin arriving. Occasionally one of them would beat her and she'd endure light hearted teasing about slacking off but it was pretty rare.

Once she had Serena they'd pick up lunch and head to the White House so Serena could spend some time with Josh and probably Zoey. Originally Zoey had only joined Josh and Serena for their lunches a few times a month. It had gradually worked into being nearly every day. Sometimes Zoey would join Amy and Serena after lunch for one of their excursions. Those were Serena's favorite days. Unfortunately, there had had to be less of them lately.

After the engagement was announced a couple of weeks before, the media had gone nuts. They were, it seemed, permanently camped out in the street outside Josh's home. Most of them were well mannered enough, or scared enough of Josh, not to try to sneak through the gates when they opened but they'd cluster around the car arriving or leaving and snap pictures and shout questions.

Reporters followed Josh, Zoey, and when possible, Serena, everywhere they went. If Josh stopped at the grocery store reporters would try to copy down every item he purchased. If he and Zoey dined at a restaurant, the next day the papers would speculate that the place was catering the wedding. After pictures of Serena swinging in the park were published, Josh asked Amy to stop their outings until the attention died down. When she had found out, Serena threw one of her rare fits, screaming that it wasn't fare to punish her because the photographers were bad and throwing the play dough and cutters she'd been playing with.

"Hello."

Amy smiled at the woman and the little girl with her. "Hi."

The woman held out her hand. "I'm Sarah and this is Skyler."

"I'm Amy. Is Skyler new here? I don't think I've met you."

"No. Sky's only four. I'm looking at programs for next year." She smiled. "With the waiting lists you can't start too early."

"You can't," Amy agreed. "Serena was on the list for this school at two."

"Two? Now that is young." She chuckled. "Serena must be the first for you and your husband. Parents always go all out the first time and then tone down a bit."

Amy hesitated a moment and then mentally shrugged. Everyone here knew that she was Serena's nanny and the child's link to the First Family. Why keep it secret from this woman when one of the other caregivers or parents would probably casually mention it anyway. "I'm actually not Serena's mother. I'm her nanny."

"Oh. I'm sorry. The way you were talking about her, I just assumed she was yours."

"Don't worry about it. Serena's a good kid. I don't mind her being mistaken for mine occasionally."

"How long have you been with her?"

"Three years."

"Wow. That's a long time. Sky has never had the same nanny for more than a year at a time. Actually, I'm not sure I can remember any of my friends keeping one longer than that either. Either the nanny just isn't that good at their job or they get bored and want to try a new client or career."

"I can't imagine leaving Serena. Like I said, she is a good kid."

"She must have good parents too, for you to have been able to work with them for so long." She noticed Amy's eyes cloud over briefly. "Maybe not. Sorry."

"No, it's fine. I was just thinking about something. Serena has an awesome father, and yes, he's great to work for."

Sarah chuckled, lightly covering her daughter's ears. "One of _those_ relationships, hmm? I'm sure you enjoy lots of extra benefits and perks?"

Amy bristled. "No, not one of "those" relationships." Several others had arrived so Amy turned toward a friend.

"Look, I'm sorry I offended you," Sarah said, resting her hand on Amy's arm. "I was joking."

"I don't like jokes like that. I'm not that kind of person and neither is my employer."

"Like I said, I'm very sorry. I hope you won't hold it against me." She paused a moment as if considering something. "Maybe we could get Skyler and Serena together for a play date. Perhaps we could even take them to the park today."

Amy shook her head. "Serena has lunch with her father every afternoon followed by playtime at home."

"Another time?"

Amy hesitated. She didn't want to hurt the woman's feelings. She was one of the first people Sarah had met here after all and she was sure the woman was just trying to help her little one make friends but a play date wasn't possible. "Serena's father is very selective with her friends. They're pretty much children of his associates."

"Interesting. He must be high profile."

Several people standing nearby started laughing.

"Oh yeah, you could say he's high profile," someone said.

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Is it someone I'd know of?"

Before Amy could think of an answer, the door to Serena's class was opened by the instructional assistant and a line of children filed out. When she noticed Amy, Serena darted toward her.

"Hi kiddo, how was your morning?"

"Good. We wrote books about our favorite things."

"That sounds cool."

"We had to leave the books for parent day."

"Ah."

"Two of my favorite things are Tuft and weddings."

"Have you been to a wedding recently?" Sarah, who had been standing a couple of feet away, asked.

"Not since my Daddy's wedding but I'm going to one soon."

"Who is getting married?"

Before Serena could answer Amy jumped in. "We should be going or we'll be late for lunch."

The woman ignored her. "Are you going to Josh Lyman's wedding Serena? When is the wedding? Are you going to be in the wedding party?"

Amy grabbed Serena's back pack in one hand and the child's hand in the other.

"Do you like Zoey?"

"Come on." Amy started walking toward the front doors.

"Does Zoey live with you Serena?" The woman had pulled out a small camera and was rapidly snapping pictures while Amy practically dragged the child toward the door.

"How does the President feel about the wedding? Do you call him Grandpa yet? Have you ever seen Josh and Zoey kiss?"

They reached the doors and the security officer stood up. "Is there a problem?"

Amy paused to gesture to the woman. "A reporter somehow got inside."

"Please apologize to Mr. Lyman for us. I'll personally make sure it doesn't happen again."

"Thank you." They stepped outside as a photographer came around the corner and started snapping pictures. With a camera going off in front of her and one still going behind her, Serena huddled close to Amy's legs, burying her face in the denim of Amy's jeans. Other kindergarteners and their caregivers clustered around with wide eyes and open mouths while security and the school's administration tried to get the reporter and her photographer to leave the premises.

*************

"She's only five," Josh fumed, pacing back and forth in front of Leo's desk.

"Yes but she isn't your average five-year-old. Because of Sam, you, just circumstances, she's a very high profile child."

"I realize that Serena is rapidly becoming one of the most famous children in the country, hell, maybe the world. But it wasn't her choice, or mine. I haven't pushed her into commercials or TV shows. She isn't a musical prodigy. She's an ordinary child who was thrust into an extraordinary world." He ran his hand through his hair. "What did that woman think she'd get from Serena? She had to have known that Amy wouldn't allow Serena to answer any of her questions."

"Maybe she wasn't after words." Leo gestured to the pictures laid out across his desk. In several of them, a terrified Serena huddled against Amy's legs while chaos ruled around her. In a few, Amy held Serena, desperately trying to keep the child's face covered as they were ushered back inside the school to a secluded office. In the hours since the incident had happened, samples of the pictures had begun appearing online and running on various news programs. The tabloid that employed the woman would be running a full spread plus "details" of her conversation with the child's nanny. Josh was really hoping those "details" breached the line into slander.

"I don't know what to do Leo. It isn't fair to Serena to make her live in a plastic bubble but I can't even send her to school safely anymore. One of the best schools in the city and they can't keep the press out." He sighed, sinking down into a chair. "Maybe I should send her away for a little while. To my mom or Patti or maybe Kate and Jonathon."

"Is that what you want to do?"

"Of course it isn't. I didn't think it was possible to love a child as much as I love that little girl. But her happiness and safety are the only things that matter."

"Do you think she'd be happy away from you?"

Josh rested his head against the back of his chair. "No," he said softly, weariness finally almost overcoming him. The last thing he wanted was for Serena to be away from him, and he knew Zoey would feel the same. But he also couldn't have things like what had happened today become the norm in her life and he couldn't seclude her at home or here all the time. She needed friends, outings, and adult role models outside her family just like any other child.

They'd all expected the press to go into frenzy mode the moment the engagement was announced but this was out of control, worse than any of them had expected. They'd managed to keep the wedding date a secret thus far but the guests hadn't received their invitations yet. When invitations started arriving in the next few days there was bound to be a leak somewhere.

With very little detail on the wedding being provided, the press had turned to speculation and rumors, much of it outlandish. If the various entertainment shows and magazines were to be believed he and Zoey were having a Rose Garden wedding with ice sculptures of past presidents, the Pope would be presiding over the ceremony, they were providing homing pigeons for each guest to release in lew of throwing rice, and a private plane and medical staff had been hired to bring Donna to the ceremony. Rumored to be on the guest list were Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, and Prince Charles. They were all going to be very disappointed with the actual ceremony, he mused. He and Zoey weren't nearly as creative as the media.

His mother was getting dozens of phone calls a day from television networks and magazines as were Ellie and Liz. Several reporters had called the nursing facility Donna was in to try to verify the report that she would be at the wedding and others had contacted her parents with the question. A reporter had stopped Amy a few days before to offer her cash to give him confidential details on the wedding and the relationship in general. And now, today, the final straw, the reporter sneaking into Serena's school on the pretense of looking at places to enroll her child the next year.

The school's administrator had apologized to him profusely and insisted that everything the woman had provided them with to get past security was in order. She'd had a perfectly filled out application and had even provided references that they had checked out. She had apparently been willing to go to a lot of trouble to get at Serena.

Josh lifted his head so that he could meet Leo's gaze. "I wasn't serious when I threatened an elopement a couple of weeks ago but that option is starting to sound better and better. There'd be no wedding for everyone in the universe to go wild over."

"Instead they'd continue to frantically follow Zoey, hoping to be the first to uncover proof of a pregnancy, because, in their eyes, that would be the only reason you would elope."

"And they would also want the details of the ceremony no matter how small," Josh said, sighing.

"Yes."

"Still, it might be better than this."

"Have you and Zoey discussed the possibility?"

"Briefly, when we were first setting the wedding date, mostly joking that it would be easier." He stood again, crossing the room to look out the window. "Zoey has this perfect wedding in her mind, a wedding she's been dreaming of since childhood. She can close her eyes and picture exactly what she wants in vivid detail. I can't take that from her." He turned back to face Leo. "A third option would be me taking a leave of absence until after the wedding. I'd have more time to help Zoey with the arrangements. We could take Serena and stay at the house in Connecticut or on the farm where it would be more difficult for the press to get to us."

"You would still have to leave the shelter of whichever estate you chose to deal with wedding arrangements. The deprivation would make the paparazzi even crazier during those trips." Leo crossed the room to stand beside Josh. "I think I might have come up with a plan to help deal with the attention. It wouldn't be a fix, but it might make living with all of this a bit easier. I'm sure you realize that after your marriage you and Serena will both be considered members of the First Family."

"Yes."

"As members of the First Family you will be assigned Secret Service details. I spoke with Ron Butterfield before this meeting. With the added security concerns, we both feel that it would be advisable to assign protection to you and Serena immediately. It should be pretty easy to implement since your house has already been secured for Zoey and you and Serena are both very familiar with the routine."

"Let Ron know that I'd like to do that."

Leo nodded. "He'll want to meet with you before you leave the White House this evening."

"Fine."

Leo crossed to his desk and lifted the phone while Josh headed for the door. At the door, Josh looked back over his shoulder. "Thanks Leo."

"You're welcome son."

************

"It's pretty," Serena said with a hint of surprise evident in her voice.

Zoey did a slow spin inside the old barn where her wedding reception would be taking place the next day. She and her sisters had spent hours playing here as children. She couldn't begin to guess how many tea parties, fashion shows, hay fights, and slumber parties had been staged out here. Now all hints of hay, cobwebs, and farm equipment had been cleared away and the barn had been scrubbed and freshly painted until it almost sparkled.

Tables and chairs had been set up at one end of the large room. Creamy tablecloths were draped over the tables. The next day the cloths would be joined by poinsettia arrangements and name cards.

At the other side of the room, a bar had been set up along one wall. A large dance floor filled the rest of the space with mistletoe hanging above it at random intervals.

The banister to the stairs leading up to the loft was woven with garland and twinkling white Christmas lights as was the railing overlooking the main room of the barn. The loft itself was set up for the musicians who'd be playing the next day.

"It is," Zoey agreed, heading towards the door followed by her mother, sisters, Annie, CJ, and Serena.

She gingerly made her way through the snow toward the tent set up close to the barn. Inside the tent, rows of chairs had been set out on either side on the aisle she'd be walking down. A satin cloth draped the aisle. Red bows had been placed on the ends of each row of chairs.

Slowly, Zoey made her way up the aisle, imagining that it was the next afternoon and Josh was waiting for her. A piano stood at the front of the tent, toward the side. The candles they'd be lighting, the cloth they'd kneel on, even the Bible that was to be used - one that had been in her family for generations, were all here waiting for the ceremony.

"Beautiful," Serena said softly.

"It's looking good," Zoey agreed, smiling down at her soon to be step-daughter.

"Imagine how amazing it's all going to look tomorrow," CJ said.

Zoey nodded. "I just hope everything goes smoothly. There's still so much left to do." As busy as the farm had been today with people setting up, tomorrow morning would be even more insane as the last minute details were seen to. Even with the wedding set for two in the afternoon, the caterer and florist had both made arrangements to come at nearly the crack of dawn. Letting them in had been delegated, thank God.

Liz grinned. "Relax baby sister. Your wedding is going to be perfect. Fate wouldn't dare piss you off by allowing something to go wrong." She looked down at her watch. "It's almost time for your bridal shower. Go get yourself and Serena changed while CJ and I make sure everything is ready."

"Bossy as ever," Zoey teased, but she took Serena's hand and headed toward the house. She was relieved that all of this was almost over. She now understood the horror her mother, sisters, and some of her friends had expressed at the time frame she'd given for planning the wedding.

In two months they'd done what many people took a year or more to do. She was pretty sure she and Josh wouldn't have been able to accomplish it if it hadn't been for all of the help they'd gotten from her mother, sisters, CJ, and Annie. Serena had also been a big help, cheerfully trying on dozens of dresses while the adults circled and analyzed, taste testing the offerings of the caterers they'd met with, scrutinizing flowers in search of the perfect choices.

This week had been a whirlwind with appointments, last minute dress fittings, and last night the rehearsal dinner. It had been fun but exhausting, especially since she'd had to try to stay a couple of steps ahead of the press at all times. Sometimes it had worked, sometimes not. In preparation for the big day, the press had been camped out at the edge of the property for the last several days, the group growing every day.

Tonight both the bridal shower and bachelor party were being held at the farm, though in different buildings, in order to keep the media out. The next morning would be the insanity of dressing for the wedding, and then, finally, the ceremony itself, the reception, and she and Josh would be off until Christmas morning, when they would return to spend the day with Serena before going away for two weeks.

"Okay munchkin, I laid out a sweater and matching slacks for you to wear this evening. Do you want me to do something with your hair or do you want to wear it loose?"

"Can you do a braided Pollyanna?"

Zoey arched an eyebrow.

"I mean, will you?"

"Sure. I'll go get dressed while you change and be back to do your hair in a few minutes."

A half-hour later Zoey and Serena stepped into the family room to see that most of the shower guests had already arrived. Several were staying at the farm but most were at a hotel in town.

Abbey was the first to notice them. "Ah. Our guest of honor and cutest guest have both arrived." She crossed the room to pull first Zoey and then Serena into hugs.

By the time Abbey had pulled back, Zoey was surrounded by a crowd of women who wanted to hug her, admire her ring, or both. She laughingly accepted it all and Liz finally stepped in, leading Zoey to a chair and handing her a crown.

"You're Queen for the evening," Ellie explained with a smile.

Zoey grinned. "Is Queen higher or lower ranking than President?"

Abbey laughed. "You should ask your father that."

Serena perched on the arm of Zoey's chair. "Can I come when you ask him?"

Zoey tugged on Serena's braid. "Sure."

Liz glanced at the woman scattered around the room and gestured at a table. "Help yourselves to a plate while we wait for the rest of the guests to arrive." She turned toward her sister. "What would you like?"

"I can make my own plate," Zoey said, starting to stand.

"Queen, remember?" Liz arched an eyebrow.

Zoey rolled her eyes. "I need to help Serena anyway."

Abbey gave a mock pout. "And deprive me of the pleasure of helping my new granddaughter?"

Serena giggled and jumped up to take Abbey's hand.

"Okay, fine, you win," Zoey said, smiling.

"She's excited," Mallory commented after they were all settled with plates. Her gaze was focused on Serena who was seated across the room with Annie. The child was bouncing in her seat as she chattered to the teenager. Annie noticed that some of the adults were watching and smiled before turning back to listen indulgently to Serena.

"Oh yeah," Zoey agreed. "All week she's been asking how much longer until the wedding."

"It's been all about the wedding," CJ said with a chuckle. "I've only heard her ask about Christmas once. No semi-subtle hints about the "in" toys like last year."

"With all of the anticipation over the wedding, I'm not sure she realizes just how close Christmas is," Zoey said.

Amy smirked.

"What?"

"Serena knows how close Christmas is."

"You sound certain," Ellie remarked.

The nanny chuckled. "Oh I am." At their expectant looks she continued. "Serena dictated a letter to Santa to me a few weeks ago, just like she did last year. This year's letter was a bit different though. Last year she merely sent a list of the things she wanted, categorized by order of importance. This year, she began with a thank you note."

Zoey let out a startled laugh.

"For last years presents?" CJ asked.

"Just two of them."

"Tuft," Zoey guessed. She mentally went through the toys Serena had received the year before, trying to think of one that the child particularly loved. She came up blank. "What was the other gift?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Serena asked for Zoey for Christmas?" Mallory asked, confused.

"Not Zoey specifically, no."

Abbey's eyes widened as she figured it out. "She asked for a mother."

Amy nodded.

"And decided to thank Santa for giving her one," Zoey said softly.

"It was the one thing she wanted most, even more than Tuft."

"Did you save a copy of the letter? I'd like to read it," Zoey said, her eyes focused on the child giggling across the room.

"Of course. It's at home, filed." At Donna's request Amy had kept a journal of cute things Serena had said and done and a file of art work and such. When Josh had taken custody he'd asked Amy to continue.

"Thanks."

"What did she ask for this year?" one of Zoey's friends asked curiously.

"Josh and I haven't been able to get anything out of her," Zoey said. "We've had to rack our brains to think of gifts for her."

"She told Santa that he gave her so much last year that she wasn't going to be greedy this year. There was only one thing on her list."

"I wish that philosophy would rub off on Gus," Liz said wryly. "His list gets longer every year."

"What is the one thing Serena wants?" CJ asked, trying to figure out where to fit a trip to Toys R Us in.

Amy grinned at Zoey. "A baby."

Zoey blinked. "She has tons of dolls."

Abbey shook her head. "No, I think she means a real live baby. A sibling."

Clara Lyman smirked, much like her son. "I think I'd start preparing a nursery."

"Uh we hadn't planned… we thought we'd wait… a couple of years."

Liz chuckled. "With Serena's track record with Santa, your plans might be changing."

They all laughed at Zoey's expression.

"Where are you and Josh going on your honeymoon," Mallory asked, deciding to rescue Zoey with a subject change.

"I'm not sure. Josh is surprising me. I do know that we'll be staying in an inn close to here tomorrow night and Christmas Eve. We'll be back here to spend Christmas with our little girl then we're off."

"Where's Serena going to be staying while you and Josh are away?" Patti asked.

"She'll be staying here with the family until New Years. On the second my parents are returning to the White House. Serena and Amy will be going with them."

"She hasn't been separated from Josh for more than a few hours since he got custody. How is she reacting to the idea?" Clara asked.

"We told her what was happening weeks ago and have been reminding her regularly. So far she seems fine with it. I guess we won't know for sure until we start to leave."

"She'll do fine. We're going to keep her so busy that she won't even know you guys are gone," Abbey promised.

Zoey grinned. "I'm sure Josh will be very comforted by the thought that his daughter doesn't know he's missing for several days."

"When do you get to open the presents?" Serena asked, bounding over to them.

"Careful with Tuft," Zoey admonished, reaching out to stroke the little dog in Serena's arms.

"'Kay. The Presents?"

"I'm not sure." Zoey glanced at each of her sisters, silently asking if the presents were appropriate to open in front of a five-year-old.

Liz chuckled. "We kept this party pretty kid friendly. The guy's party might be a different story."

"I haven't been able to get anything about it out of Toby."

"Jed's been secretive too."

"If Dad had anything to do with planning the entertainment, they're probably playing Trivial Pursuit right now," Zoey said.

"They're playing games?" Serena asked. "I wanna go play games." She gestured around her. "No offense but this is boring."

"Ah, I'm hurt," CJ said. "I helped plan this boring party."

"We do have some games," Liz said. "We'll play them in a little while."

"So I'm staying here?"

"Yep." Zoey suddenly lunged out of her seat to capture the giggling child. "I'd miss you too much if you left." She tickled Serena's stomach while the little girl squirmed to get away.

Liz went to the table stacked with gifts and chose one from the top. She went back to the group and held it out to her sister.

"Present time!" Serena exclaimed.

"I've already got the best present." Zoey squeezed Serena playfully.

"You don't want them," Serena asked, horrified.

"But more never hurt anything," Zoey finished, laughing. She slid the card from beneath the ribbon. "This one is from Ellie." She opened the box and pulled out a lacy red pinafore.

"Is that a nightgown?"

"Yes."

The child eyed it for a few moments before turning to Ellie. "It's winter. She'll get cold."

When everyone laughed the little girl shook her head. "She will."

"Why don't you go pick another present for Zoey to open?" Abbey suggested.

Serena sat back shaking her head in disappointment at the adults as Zoey continued to open packages, most of which contained lingerie.

Liz picked up one of the last few gifts on the table and Serena sat up alertly.

Zoey held up the card. She, Josh, and Serena had been drawn on the front. On the inside Serena had drawn a picture of Zoey in her wedding gown and Josh dressed in a… "Is this a penguin costume?"

"Uh huh. Uncle Toby asked what the guys were going to be wearing for the wedding. Uncle Josh said monkey suits but I've seen the tuxes. They look more like penguin suits than monkey suits."

Zoey bit her lip to keep from laughing. "I'll make sure to show the card to Uncle Josh." She laid the card aside and unwrapped the package. Curiously she lifted out the book inside and flipped it open. "Our Family" was printed in neat calligraphy across the first page. The second page held pictures of her and Josh she recognized from Donna's box of photos. The top of the page proclaimed that the pictures had been taken during the Bartlett for America campaign. Under each photo was a funny or cute caption and flag stickers were scattered around the page. Bus stickers had been used as the border. "This is amazing."

"Amy helped me."

"Thank you both. This had to have taken hours."

Serena shrugged. "It was fun. I liked going through Mommy's pictures. She took _a lot_."

"The first half of the album or so is pictures Donna took," Amy added. "The more recent photos are toward the back."

She turned a few pages to a double page spread of "Inaugural Balls" pictures. Here, Serena had chosen party hats for the border. In most of the pictures on this page, as with the earlier pages, she and Josh had either been photographed together accidentally, with one of them in the background and the other in the foreground, or in a large group.

Zoey's attention was caught by one picture. She and Josh were dancing. Their first dance. It had been at the first ball and had been more for publicity than anything else. Everyone had felt that she _had _to be photographed dancing and her father hadn't trusted his sixteen-year-old with very many men. Even knowing that, her teenage heart had fluttered madly. Trust her father to choose the one man she had a crush on to force her to spend more time with. She'd been terrified that someone would somehow read her thoughts and feelings. She ran her finger along the edges of the photo. If only she'd known then what her future held.

She closed the book and laid it down, planning on going through it with Josh later. She opened her arms and the little girl crawled onto her lap. "That book is truly awesome Serena. I love it, and I love you."

Serena laid her head against Zoey's chest. "I love you too."

Zoey stroked her hand down the child's hair. "Getting sleepy?"

"Kind of."

Still holding Serena, Zoey rose. "I'm going to take Serena up. I'll be back in a bit."

Amy stood. "I'll do it."

"No, I've got it. This is probably the last chance I'll get for a couple of weeks and I enjoy taking care of Serena."

After helping Serena change into her pajamas and brush her teeth and hair, Zoey tucked the little girl into bed and lay down next to her with _The Secret Garden. _She hadn't read more than a few pages before Serena was out.

She set the book on the bedside table and stood to turn the light down. As she was turning toward the door, it quietly opened and Josh peeked into the room.

"Hi," Zoey said softly.

Josh stepped into the room and carefully closed the door behind him. "Hi." He took Zoey's hand, lightly stroking her palm as he pulled her closer to him. "I've missed you today."

She laid her head against his chest. "I've missed you most of the week."

"One more day and the circus will be over."

"Our wedding is a circus?" she asked with a soft laugh.

"Five hundred guests from all over the world, press swarming the gates every time they open, thousands of wedding presents and cards from people we've never heard of; yes I'd say it is a circus." He kissed her gently. "But it's worth all of it. Tomorrow you'll be mine, forever."

"Possessive, aren't we," she teased.

"Damn right." He glanced at the sleeping child a few feet away. "I was hoping to help put her to bed."

"How'd you know we were up here?"

"I went to find out if she was ready to come up to bed. It's getting late and she's going to be up early in the morning."

She raised her head and arched an eyebrow. "You went into the bridal shower? And CJ and Liz let you survive?"

"I sent a female agent in to ask for me. Your mom came out and told me you'd just brought Serena up. I'm sorry I was too late. This is something I'm going to miss the next couple weeks, the two of us tucking Serena in and reading to her together, as a family."

"We don't have to go you know. If leaving her is too much we can stay here or we can go to Disneyworld or something and take her with us."

He traced his thumb over her bottom lip. "I really love you. I want to take you away, have you all to myself. Serena will be fine. We'll call and check on her every day. She'll be with your parents and CJ will be here." He chuckled. "And Disneyworld? I doubt the three of us would survive a trip to Disney right now. Once things have calmed down we'll take a few days to take Serena to Florida."

"She'll love that."

"So will my mom. She's been bugging me to bring Serena down since I got custody."

"Everyone is probably wondering what's taking us so long."

"They'll think Serena is too excited to sleep." He tightened his arms around her. "I'm not ready to let go of you yet. How's the bridal shower?"

"Fun."

"As in women sitting around dishing the guys in their lives fun or male strippers fun?"

She laughed. "Jealous?"

"No, I trust you." He grinned. "Besides they wouldn't have hired strippers knowing Serena and Annie were going to be at the party."

"I don't know. Maybe I'll keep the idea in mind for CJ's shower. The girls might enjoy it and it would certainly keep them from being bored like Serena said she was tonight." She grinned at Josh's scowl. "We did manage to cheer Serena up a little bit with the presents even though she wasn't exactly impressed with most of my friends' choices of gifts." She stroked her hand across his chest, stopping over his heart to blindly trace the lines of the scars she knew so well, loving his intake of breath. "I think you might be."

"Do you? Care to share?"

"Yes, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow night." Her fingers found one of the buttons on his shirt, absently outlining it as she spoke.

"So cruel Zo."

Zoey grinned. "I try. Amy decided to share details from Serena's letter to Santa."

Josh's eyes widened in surprise. He and Zoey had spent a month racking their brains for gift ideas with the nanny insisting that she really didn't know what they should buy the child. Now, the day before their wedding and three days to Christmas, Amy finally decides to share. "What time does Toy's R Us close? Midnight? Or are they open 24 hours during the Christmas season?" He thought a moment. "Maybe I could get Toby or Leo to go early in the morning."

She laughed. "If Toy's R Us was an option, CJ would be there now."

"What does Serena want?"

"A baby."

"She has a room full of dolls. What does this one do that makes it so special?"

"It would eat, sleep, soil diapers, cry and eventually walk, talk, learn to read, drive…"

"A real baby!" Josh interrupted.

Zoey quickly glanced at the bed to see Serena shift slightly.

"Sorry," he whispered. "What does a five-year-old want with a baby?"

She shrugged. "Apparently she's tired of being an only child."

"So she's decided that we should have a baby."

"Decided it and requested it of Santa Claus. It's been pointed out to me that lately Serena has had a pretty good track record with the man in red."

Josh groaned. "Amy announced it?"

Zoey chuckled. "Oh yeah. Pretty much everyone at the shower heard."

"Including my mother. We're both in for serious hints, teasing, and cajoling."

"I think I can deal." She slipped the button she'd been toying with through the hole. "Or we could give her what she wants."

Josh reached for a lock of hair that had fallen into her face, capturing it between his thumb and forefinger. He gently tugged, letting the silky strands caress his skin. "We could." He tucked the hair behind her ear, gliding his hand down the side of her neck. "If you're sure it's what you want. You're getting a ready-made family. No one would blame you if you didn't want to add an infant on top of that immediately."

"You don't want a baby," she said softly.

"Before I had Serena that probably would have been true. I only agreed to take her because I didn't think there'd ever be a need to and I thought it was an easy way to ease Sam's mind. Now I can barely remember what it was like to be childless or why I would have enjoyed that lifestyle. I'd love to get to do it from the beginning. There were so many things I missed with Serena. But there's no rush, no pressure." He grinned. "Part of the advantage of having a child bride."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not _that _young."

"I'm glad that Serena is secure enough to want us to have a child but that isn't a good enough reason to have a baby. We'll have one when the time is right. If that's now, I'm fine with it. I'm also fine with waiting a year or two."

"But you're leaning toward waiting."

"With Serena, the press frenzy, my job, your graduate program; yes, I'm inclined to wait a little while."

"Will it ever get better? When my father's term is up you'll either join another team or prepare to run for something yourself. Once I graduate, I'll probably start my own career. We'll always have Serena. And as you become known as a politician in your own right the press scrutiny will increase."

"We'll have some time between your father's term ending and any campaign I launch. I think once the wedding is over the press and public attention will slowly fade back to what they were before we announced the engagement, until I'm in office myself." His thumb skimmed the slope of her cheek. "Do you want a baby that badly Zo?"

"Yes but you make a good argument for waiting several months." She glanced over at the bed. "And even though Serena seems secure enough and is asking for a sibling, things could change. It's probably best to give her a little time to adjust to the changes in her life before making more changes."

There was a soft knock before the door was quietly opened.

Abbey grinned. "We wondered if either of you had any intentions of returning to your parties."

"Do we have to?" Zoey asked.

"Yes. You don't have all that long until midnight anyway. You can't see each other between midnight and the wedding."

Josh rolled his eyes. "That is such a stupid tradition."

"It is tradition nonetheless. Would you like to explain to Jed why you think it is stupid? I'm sure he could shed some light on the history of the custom."

"No, that's okay," he said with a shudder. "I don't have to know the history in order to follow the rule."

Abbey nodded and turned toward her daughter. "I'll see you back at the party in a few minutes."

"Sometimes I wish my parents weren't quite so effective with the manipulation," Zoey said once her mother was gone.

"As a son I agree with you, as a father I hope I'm as good at manipulating my children."

"I guess I should go back to the shower. I wish I didn't have to."

"What would you do instead?"

"Go to bed so that tomorrow would come faster."

He grinned. "Ah, little kid reasoning. I like it."

She kissed his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow." She turned toward the door but Josh caught her wrist and pulled her back, crashing his mouth onto hers.

His fingers threaded through her hair, cradling her skull as he pulled her closer. He ran his other hand down her back, lightly stroking her spine through her cotton t-shirt, before cupping her jean-clad bottom.

Zoey whimpered into his mouth, trying to press closer and Josh broke away.

"God, I can't wait for tomorrow." Josh pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. "I love you."

"I love you too."

He nodded and was gone.

****************

"Will you please sit down? You're making me dizzy."

Josh frowned at Toby but sat. He was up and pacing again before a full minute had passed. A glance at the clock had him frowning again. "Could time be going any slower?"

"You're not the only one suffering," Toby said with a sigh.

Jed chuckled from the doorway. He waved his hand at Toby, Charlie, and Leo who'd all stood up when he entered and they retook their seats. "Eager I take it?"

"Yes Mr. President."

"You realize that as a member of my family you have the option of being less formal?"

"Yes Sir. Have you seen Zoey? Is she alright?"

"I just left her. She asked me the same about you."

"And sent you to check up on me?"

"Actually, I volunteered." He chuckled again. "Had to make sure you weren't planning on ditching my baby at the altar."

Toby rolled his eyes. "He's spent the morning whining that Zoey might get cold feet and run away."

"He even begged me to help him sneak in to see her to make sure that wasn't her plan," Charlie added. He still wasn't thrilled about the wedding but had resigned himself to it. Josh made Zoey happy. That was all that mattered.

"I did not beg. I merely requested."

"Riiight," Charlie said.

"Is Zoey ready?"

"There's almost an hour to the ceremony," Leo pointed out. "I'd assume they're still preparing. You know women."

"Can't we start early if they're ready? We can send someone to tell them to hurry."

Toby shook his head. "Not if you want wedding guests. The Secret Service isn't exactly encouraging early attendance. The last time I checked they weren't admitting anyone but family and members of the wedding party."

"They still aren't," Charlie said. "The guests won't be allowed in to be seated until twenty minutes to the ceremony but then it's there own fault if they're early. The invitations specified arrival instructions."

"Ron Butterfield provided that paragraph," Josh said. "I think he would have preferred a White House wedding. He said it would have been easier to secure." He glanced between Leo and the President. "It also would have gotten out of Zoey's and my control more easily." The two men hadn't backed down on making the wedding into a huge international event but he and Zoey hadn't backed down either, with the exception of a few compromises. They'd expanded the guest list a bit more than they'd initially wanted to and had agreed to allow Danny Concannon to write an exclusive on the wedding.

"A larger wedding would have benefited you in the long run," Jed said. He held up a hand when Josh started to argue. "It's too late to change anything now and I'd rather we not argue today. I may not like the way the marriage is happening but I've become fond of the thought of you as my son."

"Thank you Sir."

"And now I am going to go assure my daughter that all is well."

************

"Finished," the hairdresser declared, handing Zoey a mirror. "You look stunning. Your groom is going to have to be revived when he sees you."

Zoey gazed at her image for a moment before turning to the woman with a smile. "Thank you."

The woman grinned. "You're welcome though I should be thanking you. By tomorrow I'll be booked through next year."

"Probably," Zoey agreed with a chuckle. She raised an eyebrow at her mother as she watched Abbey whisper something to Serena. The little girl jumped up from the sofa. "Walk."

"Sorry," Serena said, instantly slowing down.

Zoey just hoped that the child kept the slower speed up once she was out the door. As soon as the door closed she turned to her mother.

"What?" Abbey asked innocently.

"Where did you send her?"

"Send her? Oh, no where. She needed to use the restroom."

Zoey gestured to the adjoining bathroom.

Abbey shrugged.

The hairdresser had finished packing her things back up. "Have a wonderful wedding." She smiled at the others around the room. "Merry Christmas."

As the woman left, Serena burst back into the room, almost crashing into her.

"You really don't get the concept of walking, do you?" Annie asked, rolling her eyes.

"Sorry," Serena said to the hairdresser. She walked slowly toward Abbey, tightly clutching the handles of a gift bag behind her back. She perched on the edge of the seat next to Abbey and handed the bag to her.

"Come join us honey," Abbey said to Zoey, patting the seat next to Serena.

"We have more presents," Serena said excitedly. "I got to help wrap and hide them from you."

"Nice." Zoey smirked at her mother. "What a role model you are, teaching her to keep things from me so early on."

"I try." Abbey pulled the first package out of the bag. "This one is from me."

Zoey carefully unwrapped the gift and stroked her hand over the box, swallowing. "Is this…"

Abbey reached over and opened the box.

Zoey ran her finger over the delicate diamond studded heart.

"When you were a little girl you loved this necklace. Every time I wore it you'd climb on my lap and trace the heart over and over much as you are now."

"I'd beg you to let me wear it and every once in a while you'd put it around my neck and hand me a mirror."

"Somewhere I have a picture of you wearing it when you were about three. I want you to have it. It's your something old."

"Mom… I can't take this. It was your wedding present from Daddy."

Abbey took the box off Zoey's lap and took the necklace out. "You can. I knew I'd eventually be giving this to you the first time you saw it. Barely two and completely enamored with a piece of jewelry." She gently slid the necklace around her daughter's throat and clasped it. "It's yours. All I want for you, and all I've wanted for your sisters, is for you to find the love and happiness that I did. This necklace will bring you luck." She brushed a tear away, blinking to keep the others back. "Not that you'll need luck. Josh worships you."

"And I him," Zoey said softly. "Thank you Mom."

"No tears," Abbey ordered, trying to sound firm around the lump in her own throat. "You don't want a blotchy face at your wedding." She reached into the bag now lying at her feet and pulled out another package.

"You're something new," Serena announced.

Zoey undid the ribbon and lifted a handkerchief out of the wrapping. She laid it over her hand and examined the intricate embroidery. An interlinking J and Z filled the center of the square.

"Aunt CJ says weddings are happy but they're also for crying."

"She's right and I love the handkerchief." She kissed the child's forehead. "Thank you sweetheart."

Abbey took another package from the bag.

"They were my mothers," CJ explained when Zoey looked down at the earrings in confusion. "When I saw the necklace, I knew those earrings had to be your something borrowed."

"They're beautiful."

"Finally we have your something blue." Abbey handed her the last package and set the bag aside. "Your sisters chose this one."

Zoey took the soft package. "Something else made of cloth or lace."

"I wonder what that could be," Annie said with another eye roll, earning her a glare from her mother.

"What's that?" Serena asked as Zoey held a piece of blue lace up.

"It's called a garter."

"Oh. What's it for?"

"Zoey will wear it on her leg," Abbey explained.

Annie started to elaborate but a look from her grandmother stopped her.

Serena stared at the garter for a few seconds and shrugged. "Okay."

"Thank you all. This is all wonderful. _You _are all wonderful."

"No tears," Liz reminded.

"I told you guys we should do this before her makeup was applied," Ellie said.

"There won't be any tears," Liz said firmly. "At least not yet."

Zoey chuckled and saluted. "Yes Ma'am."

Liz mock scowled as the rest of the family burst out laughing. "So much disrespect."

A knock sounded at the door a moment before Jed pushed it open slightly and peeked in. "Is everyone decent?"

Zoey rose to hug him. "How's Josh?"

Jed chuckled. "He asked the same about you. He's very eager for the ceremony to start."

Zoey glanced at the clock. "So am I but waiting a few more minutes won't kill him."

"No, it won't, though it might feel like it will." He grinned at Abbey. "I remember pacing the room driving Leo nuts right before my wedding. It seemed like the seconds were crawling." He turned his attention back to Zoey. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you Daddy."

"My baby girl, all grown up and getting married," he mused. "It seems like you just learned to say "Da", rode your pony around the paddock for the first time, took your first steps in the yard where you'll say your vows in just a few minutes." He glanced around the room. "May I have a few minutes alone with Zoey?"

CJ was the first to stand. She held her hand out to Serena. "Shall we go see Uncle Josh?"

Serena nodded eagerly. "I wanna show him my dress."

The others quietly followed the chattering child from the room.

"All of my little girls grown up, one with a nearly grown child of her own. Where did the time go?"

Zoey laughed. "It feels the same for us you know. One minute you're bladeing and climbing trees; the next you're graduating high school, doing the college thing, planning a wedding."

"I worried about you a lot while you were bladeing and climbing all those trees." He grinned. "I was sure your tomboy tendencies were going to earn you a broken neck and more scars than you could count."

"There were a few times I was too," she admitted.

"And then that throng of guys you went out with. Were you trying to give me a heart attack?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "I thought you liked Charlie."

"Charlie I liked. It was the others, before and after him, that I couldn't stand." He scowled. "Especially the Loser Prince."

"Oh, really?" she asked with a grin. "I thought you dreamed of having Jean Paul as your son-in-law."

"More like nightmares. Let's say your mother and I were neither one heart broken when you informed us of the break up. When I learned of the feelings you and Josh had for each other I briefly wished that Jean Paul was still around. Very briefly. I never felt that you were safe with him. From the beginning I knew that Josh would die before he'd allow you to be harmed."

At Zoey's surprised look he went on. "Oh, I wasn't thrilled with the relationship by any means. I just felt that he was the better alternative. Actually, at the beginning I was hoping that it wouldn't work out, that maybe it would be the catalyst to you realizing that you and Charlie were meant to be."

"And now?"

He sighed. "I realized a long time ago that you and Charlie never would have worked. I'll always consider Charlie to be a member of the family, the fourth child your mother and I never had. I should have known from your reactions after Roslyn that the two of you weren't right for each other. If something similar were to happen now, you and Josh wouldn't leave each others sides without being carried away under sedation. It would drive you closer together, not farther apart as it did you and Charlie. It took me a while but I eventually got it."

"I never felt with Charlie like I do Josh. I feel… I don't know… alive, energized, content, lighter than air when I'm with Josh." She snickered. "Sappy, I know."

"Sappy is good sometimes." His voice softened. "You're happy. Josh wouldn't have been my choice had I been designing the ideal husband for you but he makes you happy, happier than I've ever seen you. That's all I've ever wanted for you."

"I love you Daddy."

"And I love you baby. You know that you'll always be my baby girl no matter how old you are, how long you've been married, how many children you have, right?"

She hugged him, careful not to press her face against his suit. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Jed looked over her shoulder at the clock. "Shall we get you married?"

"It's time?" She turned to face the clock. "Where are the others?"

"Not far, I imagine. They're probably waiting in the hall wondering how long to give us before reminding us of the time." Squeezing her one last time, he started to turn toward the door. "I'll find them."

"You needn't find us Jethro," Abbey said from the doorway. "We do know how to tell time. Now, out. I need to help Zoey with some finishing touches."

************

"Hi Uncle Josh!" Serena ran into the room and threw herself against Josh.

Laughing, Josh caught the child in a hug. "Hi Angel."

Serena spun in a circle, her dark green dress twirling around her.

"You look so grown up."

"Gorgeous," Charlie declared.

Leo grinned at Josh. "You're going to have your work cut out for you in a few years."

Serena beamed, doing another pirouette.

"I know." Josh sighed. "Why can't she just stay five forever?"

Leo laughed. "I imagine the President is wondering the same thing right about now."

CJ stepped into the room, glancing around until she found Serena. "You were supposed to knock first young lady."

"They didn't mind," Serena excused.

Josh knelt down next to Serena, catching her chin in his hand. "Aunt CJ told you to knock. Why didn't you listen to her?"

Serena shrugged.

"Aunt CJ, Uncle Toby, Grandma Abbey, and Grandpa Jed are going to be looking after you while Zoey and I are on our honeymoon. I need to know that you are going to listen to all of them. When they tell you to do something it's for a reason."

"'Kay."

"What do you need to say to Aunt CJ?"

"I'm sorry Aunt CJ."

"Are you going to behave while I'm gone?"

"Uh huh."

"Promise?"

"I promise I'll be good. Are you and Zoey going to bring me back presents?"

"You're going to get presents on Christmas. Isn't that enough?"

Serena thought about it for a few moments. "No. I want souvenirs too."

Josh chuckled. "I'll see what I can do."

Toby stepped into the room. "The Judge is ready for us to head out to the tent." Josh and Zoey had decided that with the differences in their faiths, it would be better to not go there with the wedding. The President had protested but had eventually backed down when they'd chosen a long time friend of his to preside over the ceremony.

Josh noticed that Serena had gone pale. He dropped to his knees again. "Hey, remember I told you Zoey and I asked Judge Peters to help us?"

Serena nodded, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

"Judge Peters is Grandpa Jed's friend. He's retired. Do you know what that means?"

"He's too old to work now."

"Or that he was ready to devote most of his time to something else. When he was working, he never did family court cases."

"Like custody?"

"That's right. He's here as a favor to Grandpa, that's it."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He pulled her close. "I would never do anything that would make me lose you. You are mine forever." He held her until the tension had eased from her body and then pulled back. "Now, can you go tell Zoey to hurry for me?"

"Sure." She waved at the room in general. "Bye."

************

Josh stood at the front of the large tent, gazing out at the gathered crowd. His mother and Abbey had both just been seated in the front row on opposite sides of the aisle. Serena's nanny, Amy, sat with his mother, ready to intervene with the child just in case. Farther out he could see Joey Lucas and her interpreter Kenny, Matt Skinner, Nancy McNally, and Admiral Fitswallace scattered around the tent.

Danny Concannon's bright hair caught his attention and he arched an eyebrow in surprise. Andrea Wyatt occupied the chair next to Danny's and the two were whispering back and forth. The notepad that was Danny's constant accessory lay idle on his lap. He and Zoey had promised Danny an exclusive. They'd already sat for an interview and had provided Danny with never published private photos of the two of them with Serena and had promised him a selection of wedding pictures.

He had no delusions that the arrangement with Danny would keep the rest of the press away but hopefully the photos and details Danny provided would satisfy some of the public's lust for information on his family.

Music filled the space and the back flaps of the tent were opened by Secret Service agents in tuxes. The agents stood on either side of the entrance as Gus and Serena stepped into the tent together. Gus carried the rings and Serena held a basket of blood red rose petals. Both children kept their gazes trained toward the men standing in front, obviously trying to ignore the wedding guests. The children reached the front and went to stand together opposite the men, as they'd been instructed to do.

Next Annie came down the aisle, followed by CJ, Ellie, and Liz. Their four dresses were identical in color to Serena's and similar in design but where hers had red trim theirs were plain and hers had a fuller, flouncier skirt.

"It's not too late to change your mind," Jed teased in a whisper, peeking in to see his oldest daughter make her way down the aisle.

"I could be the runaway bride," Zoey responded with a smile. "Imagine the publicity."

Jed squeezed her hand. "You are a lovely bride. I've only seen two as lovely."

"Mom and Liz?"

He nodded. "My three favorite brides, four if Ellie ever decides to marry. Josh is a lucky man. I'd say that I hope he realizes that but I know that he does."

"He does. Just as I know how fortunate I am to have him. He loves me, really loves _me_, not the President's daughter or a political trophy wife."

The music changed and Jed smiled. "There's our cue. Ready?"

"Oh yeah."

Zoey stepped into sight holding on to her father's arm and the guests rose as one, most of them beaming at the bride. She glanced over them quickly, smiling at the few who caught her eye, before focusing on those gathered at the front of the room.

Her sisters, Annie, and CJ stood together with Serena and Gus in front of them. Both children wore shy smiles and were standing so close to the adult's legs that they were practically stepping on their feet. CJ held her flowers in one hand while her other hand rested on Serena's shoulder. Liz was doing the same with Gus but while CJ smiled down at the children, Liz stared out at her husband, her expression wistful.

Across from the women, Josh stood with Leo, Toby, Charlie, and Will. She made eye contact with Charlie and was relieved when he sent her a reassuring smile. She'd been pretty sure her friend had made peace with her and Josh's relationship but there'd been just enough lingering doubt to make her a bit concerned about the possibility of a scene.

Zoey's gaze locked with Josh's as she reached the front of the room and he stepped toward her.

Jed leaned down to kiss his daughter's cheek. "I love you." He swallowed hard, fighting the urge to brush at the tears beginning to sting his eyes. He lifted his daughter's small hand and placed it in Josh's larger one, watching their fingers link together. "Take care of her."

"Always."

Jed joined his wife, taking her hand as they took their seats to watch their youngest daughter say her vows.

Serena leaned back against CJ, staring up at Josh and Zoey. Gus stood next to her shifting from foot to foot. She sent him a glare but he ignored her. Holding in her sigh of annoyance she turned back to the ceremony. Judge Peters asked for the rings and Liz nudged Gus who handed them over.

She smiled as her Uncle slipped Zoey's ring onto her finger. Both of them were smiling but their eyes looked shinny like they were going to cry. She really didn't understand adults. Aunt CJ had told her that people cry at wedding a lot but weddings were supposed to be happy. Usually she cried when she was sad or hurt, sometimes angry, but never when she was happy.

"By the powers vested in me by the state of New Hampshire, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Josh cradled the back of Zoey's head in his palm, gently pulling her closer as he bent toward her.

"Gross!" Gus scrunched his face up and made gagging noises as Josh and Zoey's lips met.

Several of the guests sitting close enough to hear the comment chuckled.

Serena scowled at Gus who stuck his tongue out. Her eyes widened and she bit down on her own tongue to keep from responding.

CJ noticed the little girl's anger and restraint and squeezed her shoulder, noticing that Liz's hand had tightened on her son's shoulder. The First Daughter still had a smile firmly locked in place but CJ knew her well enough to know that it was forced.

Josh broke the kiss but kept his arms wrapped around his bride. He nodded to the judge.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lyman would like to invite you all to head over to the barn where the reception will be taking place. Ushers will dismiss you by aisle. Josh, Zoey, and their wedding party will be joining you after pictures have been taken," Judge Peters announced.

With nudging from CJ and Liz, the two children reluctantly took each others hands and started back down the aisle followed by Charlie and Annie, CJ and Toby, Will and Ellie, Leo and Liz, and finally Josh and Zoey.

A half-hour later the wedding party stepped into the barn and the guests looked up. Josh and Zoey entered and the guests stood, clapping.

Amid the applause, Josh seated Zoey at the head table and took the seat beside her, Serena on his other side. He smiled down at the little one with amusement. She was nearly bouncing in her seat with happiness.

From across the table, Leo grinned at Josh. "How does it feel to be a married man?"

Josh caught Zoey's hand in his beneath the table, caressing her knuckles as he answered. "Indescribable."

"No regrets that your freedom is gone?" Charlie teased.

"None." He met Zoey's gaze. "I wish I'd lost my freedom to Zoey sooner."

The President sat up straighter and arched an eyebrow. "How much sooner Josh? Much earlier and Zoey would have been little more than a child."

Josh blinked, running back through his statement with a wince. "Not necessarily starting the relationship earlier but marrying her earlier."

Jed forced his expression to stay stony, doing his best to look as menacing as possible while holding back a smirk. "Ah, so you would have fast tracked the relationship and pushed Zoey to go at a more rapid pace than she was ready for?"

"Uh, that's not exactly what I meant." Josh held back the urge to squirm under the President's penetrating gaze. "I'd never push Zoey into anything. But if I had realized my feelings sooner or… I'm just gonna shut up now."

Jed finally allowed his laugh to burst out.

Josh ran his hand through his hair, studying the table. The President was laughing so hard tears were forming at the corners of his eyes, probably leftovers from the wedding, Josh reflected. Charlie sat smirking, obviously glad that he wasn't the one on the receiving end of the President's sense of humor this time. Serena sat staring bemusedly at the adults until CJ leaned over to whisper into the child's ear that Grandpa Jed was just teasing, instantly transforming the little girl's confusion into silliness as she tried to outdo Jed. Then everyone was joining in, trading jibes and jokes, as those seated at the other tables around the barn stared in astonishment.

**************

Zoey pulled on a pair of slacks and matching blouse, watching out of the corner of her eye as Serena did the same at the other end of the room. The child could dress herself for the most part but still occasionally needed help with a difficult button or caught zipper.

Finished, she sat down on the edge of the bed to tug on socks and comfortable shoes. She patted the comforter. "Bring your brush over."

Serena hopped up next to Zoey, dropping the brush on the bed. "When we go back down you're going to throw the bouquet?"

"Yes." Zoey began undoing Serena's intricate hairstyle, setting pins and bands in a neat pile beside her.

"After that are you and Uncle Josh going to leave?"

"At some point after the bouquet, yes. The goodbyes will probably take a while."

The little girl was silent for several minutes as Zoey gently ran the brush through her hair, giving her time to formulate her thoughts.

"I'm going to miss both of you," Serena finally said softly.

"We'll miss you too." She paused. "We're leaving tonight but we'll be back the day after tomorrow for Christmas."

"But then you're going to be gone for two weeks."

They'd been preparing Serena for weeks and the child had brushed the idea of the separation off like it was nothing but Zoey had been afraid that once it actually came time for it to happen the child's reaction might change. Serena had been fine a few years before when her father had married Donna and gone away on their honeymoon but her life now wasn't anything like it had been then. So much had changed, had gone wrong. It would be astonishing if the child didn't show some insecurity. She slowly set the brush aside and opened her arms. "Come here."

Serena immediately crawled onto Zoey's lap and rested against her.

Zoey smoothed her hand down Serena's still baby soft hair. "Sweetheart, I love you so much that I don't have a word to describe it and Uncle Josh loves you even more than that."

"But you're leaving," Serena accused.

"After a wedding the bride and groom usually go away for a little while for some alone time. Uncle Josh and I going away doesn't mean that we don't love you. We just want to spend a little bit of time away from the press and everything, alone. We'll be calling you everyday." She grinned. Knowing Josh, he'd be calling multiple times each day to make sure that Serena was okay and to remind everyone of her schedule and about her carcinogen free diet, until her parents and CJ were tempted to turn off their phones.

"Everyday? Promise?"

"I absolutely promise. Neither of us could miss a day of hearing your voice." Zoey held in her sigh of relief when Serena laid her head against Zoey's chest. At least Serena seemed to be listening now. "Uncle Josh and I are leaving you with people we trust completely. Aunt CJ and the others love you almost as much as Uncle Josh and I do."

"Aunt CJ says she loves me to pieces."

"We all do." Zoey squeezed her a little tighter. "Aunt CJ and Grandma Abbey both know how to reach Uncle Josh and I while we're gone if you need to call us."

"Anytime?"

"Anytime."

Serena nodded as Zoey picked up the brush to finish the child's hair.

A few minutes later, Serena skipped into the barn, Zoey following closely behind. The child led the way to the steps leading to the loft.

Zoey smiled out at the crowd, most of whom had turned toward her expectantly. "If the single women would like to come toward the front, I'm ready to throw the bouquet."

As the women started moving forward, CJ handed Zoey the flowers.

Zoey arched an eyebrow and gestured toward the group in front of her. "Shouldn't you be joining them?"

"I caught the bouquet at Donna and Sam's wedding," CJ pointed out. "It's your wedding we're at not mine."

"The second time is the charm?"

"I think that's supposed to be the third time's the charm."

Zoey shrugged. "Not anymore. Get out there." She gave CJ a light shove and with an annoyed glare CJ stepped into the crowd. Zoey studied the women, trying to memorize their locations. Finally, closing her eyes, Zoey turned to face the loft. She tossed the flowers over her shoulder and grinned at the sounds of chaos that followed; dozens of high heels clicking against the wooden floor, fabric swishing and rubbing together, and gasps, squeals, and laughs of the women lunging for the bouquet.

She spun back around, expecting to see CJ holding up the bunch of flowers. CJ stood near the front of the crowd with Serena, both of them empty handed. After allowing a slight pout at her aim being off to show, Zoey followed the gazes of the crowd. Ellie stood a few feet behind CJ staring down at the flowers she held in her hands.

Ellie slowly raised her head to meet her sister's eyes. "You did that on purpose," she accused without rancor.

Zoey smiled and shrugged, not giving away that she hadn't actually planned on her sister catching the bouquet. She glanced at CJ, who was holding back a laugh, before letting her eyes search for Josh. He stood at the far end of the room, half lounging against the wall. Catching her staring at him, he smirked before pushing away from the wall to head toward her, his strides slow and relaxed.

Grinning, she stepped down and moved toward him, passed those still surrounding her sister, giggling and teasing.

"What's a classy girl like you doing in a place like this?"

She pondered the question for a few seconds. "Waiting for a handsome prince to take me away."

"Any handsome prince or a specific one?"

She shrugged. "Oh, I'm not choosy. Anyone will do so long as he's handsome and titled."

Josh scowled playfully, stepping closer until she was trapped between him and a table. "Any prince will do?"

Zoey nodded, biting down on the inside of her cheek so that she wouldn't smile. From the corner of her eye she noticed some of her family and friends chuckling as they watched the interplay.

He leaned forward until she could feel his breath fanning her ear. "Even a French one?"

"I wouldn't go that far but maybe a British one. They're both cute." She paused a second before frowning. "But they're both kinda young. I've always gone more for older men."

"Are you calling me old?"

"Yep but I like you that way. I guess any prince won't do. I'll keep you." She stretched up to press her lips to his in a quick kiss but Josh quickly took over, deepening the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her. Laughs, whistles and mocking catcalls came from the growing crowd and Josh reluctantly broke the kiss, pressing his forehead to Zoey's. "You ready to blow this joint?"

"Oh yeah."

"You get Serena and I'll find someone to leave her with and meet you back at the house."

Serena wasn't difficult to locate and a couple minutes later Zoey was headed toward the farmhouse with the child. She and Josh would tuck the little girl in, read to her, and then leave once she was sleeping. When they'd discussed the best way to do this, Josh had felt that this would be easiest for Serena. Tomorrow Serena would be kept too busy with Christmas preparations to dwell on Josh's absence and the next day, Christmas, she and Josh would be back to spend the holiday with the family. Christmas night they'd be leaving for ten days.

Clara Lyman was waiting in the hallway. She was staying in the bedroom across from Serena's. After hugging the little girl and sending her into her room to Josh to get ready for bed, Clara turned to Zoey. "I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to speak with you earlier." She grinned. "Every time I thought the line was about to shrink, it would prove me wrong. Welcome to the family."

"Thank you."

Clara paused as if trying to decide if she should continue or not. Finally she spoke softly and hesitantly. "A year ago I didn't think a relationship between you and my son would work. I cautioned Josh against starting anything with you."

"He told me about that."

"My only concern was my son's happiness, and his daughter's."

"Josh and I both realize that."

"I was wrong. The dynamic you and my son share is something special Zoey. I've always seen a lot of Noah in Joshua but the similarities the last several months have been surreal."

"I hope that you'll share that with Josh. It would mean a lot to him. He admired his father very much."

"I'll do that." She gestured toward the bedroom door, smiling. "You should get in there before Josh calls for a search party."

Zoey gave the woman a quick hug. "Thank you again."

"Eager are we?"

Josh was perched on the edge of the child's bed staring at the bathroom door, already holding their book. He raised his eyes to his wife, watching silently at she gently closed the bedroom door behind her. "I love Serena but I swear she's purposefully taking forever to brush her teeth."

"Would you rather she have cavities?"

"With Sam's genes? Not likely." He laid the book down and stood, wrapping his arms around Zoey. "Serena said you were talking with my mother."

"She wanted to welcome me to the family." She tilted her head when Josh's eyebrows shot up toward his hairline. "Someone being happy to have me as a part of their family is a shock?"

"I'm thrilled to finally have you for my wife and Serena is nearly bouncing off the walls, she's so excited to have a mother again. My mother, however, has never acted pleased about our relationship. I knew that she had resigned herself to it but I didn't realize that her opinion had changed so drastically."

"Neither did I. I was very surprised when she stopped me." She smirked. "Maybe she won't be a monster-in-law after all."

Josh chuckled. "I wouldn't use that term with her or she might become one."

"Have you forgotten my father's career? I do know how to be diplomatic. It was taught to me right along with walking, talking, and holding my own spoon."

They both turned when the bathroom door creaked open. Serena stepped out wearing a pair of polar bear pajamas and Winnie the Pooh slippers.

"I haven't seen that pair before. They're cute."

"Grandma Clara brought them for me." She climbed onto the bed and wiggled under the covers.

Josh dropped down beside her and reclined back against the headboard, beckoning for Zoey to join him. "Teeth brushed and face washed?"

In answer, Serena bared her teeth in a huge grin.

"Good girl." He leaned over to grab the book he'd abandoned at the foot of the bed. "Zoey and I won't be here when you wake up in the morning. We're going to leave in a little while, after we say goodbye to the others, so that we can spend tomorrow alone."

"I remember. But it is only for a day, right? You'll be back on Christmas?"

"Of course we'll back for Christmas. I wouldn't miss Christmas with my favorite little girl for anything."

Serena giggled. "I'm your only little girl."

"That makes choosing a favorite really easy," he teased, lightly tugging on a lock of hair almost the exact shade Sam's had been. He tucked the hair behind Serena's ear, wondering what Sam would say if he were here. What advice would Sam give? He'd always thought that if he ever married Sam would stand as his best man, and tease him mercilessly about finally letting a woman whip him enough to get a ring out of him.

A part of him was curious about what his friend's reaction to his relationship with Zoey would be. If Sam was here would he approve or would he have tried to dissuade Josh? Hell, if Sam was here, or Donna was, would he and Zoey even be married right now?

During the President's first campaign, he'd known that Zoey had a crush on him. She was smart, pretty, sweet, a good kid all around and he'd been flattered. He'd befriended her while doing his best to not lead her on. As he'd known would happen, she'd gotten a little older, met people her own age in the area and eventually had begun dating. Charlie was a also a good kid and Josh had very much approved of the choice and had been a little relieved that the crush had handled itself so efficiently.

Then circumstances had intervened, the shooting happened, and Charlie and Zoey were no more. After the break up she'd gone out with a string of losers and suck ups, culminating with Jean Paul. Josh had been a bit concerned with her choices but hadn't wanted to over step by saying anything to her.

He hadn't realized his own attraction to her until months after the car accident. By that time he and Zoey were spending hours a week together or with Serena. Instead of calling on CJ or his mother he'd asked Zoey to help Serena and himself redecorate the child's bedroom. When it had become time to take the child clothes shopping, Zoey had accompanied them. She'd been the first person they called after they chose Tuft. Even as he'd integrated her so firmly into their lives, it had taken him months to realize that something more than friendship was developing between then. He'd been in love with her before he'd even realized what was happening.

"Thank you Sam," he whispered.

"Josh?"

He turned to see Zoey gazing at him, concern etched on her face. He linked his fingers with hers on the comforter while running his other hand over Serena's hair. "I was just realizing just how much he gave me." He rubbed slow circled along the back of her hand. "I love both of you more than I imagined was possible."

Zoey laid her head against his shoulder. She'd never thought about it from that angle before but Sam and Donna had both given them such a gift, without even realizing it.

Swallowing back the lump that had formed in his throat, Josh opened the book and began to read. He'd barely started reading when Serena's eyes flitted closed and wasn't through the second page before she was out. He read a few more paragraphs and quietly closed the book, setting it on the nightstand.

"She's had a long day," Zoey softly commented.

"We all have." He stood up and held out his hand to Zoey, before carefully tucking the bedding in around Serena and turning on the nightlight. He pressed a kiss to the little one's forehead and stood back while Zoey did the same.

In the hall, he pulled the door until it was barely cracked open and then turned toward Zoey. "Alone, finally. What do you say we sneak away before anyone notices we haven't said goodbye?"

She chuckled softly. "That would be a little rude, don't you think?"

"Yes. I don't really care. We'll be back here day after tomorrow and we'll see the ones that really matter then." He stepped a little closer, reaching out for her. "If we go back out there it will take forever to break away. We'll spend the rest of our evening making small talk and taking pictures. I can think of much more interesting uses of our evening."

"You've corrupted me," she said with a grin.

"As long as I get what I want, I don't care." He took her hand, leading her toward the back stairs to the kitchen. "I told the driver to have the limo waiting."

Zoey gasped. "You planned this all along."

"Oh yeah."

"You are so bad."

"But you love me for it."

"And about a million other reasons. Mostly I love you just because you're you."

Josh stopped mid step. He gently pressed her against the wall, moving closer until he was speaking against her lips. "God how I love you Zoey Lyman." His lips crashed down on hers. One hand burrowed in her hair as the other smoothed down her back to slide beneath her shirt, caressing the length of her spine.

Zoey let her head fall back against the wall as Josh's mouth moved over her throat. His hand slid down to her bottom squeezing and molding as he pulled her closer to him. She gasped and arched against his hardness, whimpering when she couldn't get close enough.

Josh nipped at her earlobe, sucked it into his mouth, let his ragged breath fan it. "Limo. Now." Summoning what was left of his restraint, he stepped back, quickly moving down the remaining stairs with Zoey right behind him.

************


End file.
